


Dreaming Up Another Story

by BlackHunter666



Series: Many Lives, One Global Fight [4]
Category: Assassin's Creed, Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: Changing History, Dream Sequences, F/M, Gen, M/M, Twisted Realities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-11 07:46:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 88,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2059833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after Emily sacrificed the webs and peace descended with the elimination of everything Templar related, the eldest Auditore twins, Giovanni and Lorenzo start having dreams of a different time and place, learning of another connection in their blood and waking with scars earned along their journey.</p><p>Plunging into the adventure, the twins are eager to learn more of the history of their brotherhood and see the world as it was but are they ready for the shocks that this new path will take them on?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Young Dreams

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Young dreams  
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Sniggering as their older, adoptive brother was chastised by their mother, the young twins that had been welcomed into the tribe hung back and waited for her to be finished before they tried to drag their older brother out of the longhouse to play.  
'Come play with us! The others have gone hunting and we're bored.' Kanen'tó:kon called, leaning around the entrance into their longhouse with a smile on his face.  
'Us too?' Vanni asked, eyes lighting up at the chance.  
'Of course. When do I ever go play without you?' Ratonhnhaké:ton grinned, sidling away from their mother and reaching out to the boys. 'I promise to take care of them, mother.'  
'Go on. But do not venture beyond the valley.' Kaniehtí:io nodded, turning to watch her boys head towards the door.

Clinging to their older brother, the adopted twins were thrilled to be getting out of the house and into the forest to play. They were still too young to go out on their own, the next summer would hopefully allow them to leave without their mother coming to drag them back behind the walls. Kaniehtí:io was a wonderful woman and a devoted mother but sometimes the twins wanted to see more than she would allow them. It wasn't that the twins were irritated at the restraints, at least they knew they were safe within the village but they always wanted to see more.

No one could say for certain how the twins came to be at this particular Kanien'kehá:ka village, they had been found in the woods several seasons ago and welcomed in with open arms. Kaniehtí:io had been kind enough to take them as her own, raising them as if she had given them life and making sure they learned all that she could teach them. No one cared that they were pale skinned and clearly not from the village, they were considered part of the village and would always be a part of the tribe.

Leaving the village with one last warning not to leave the village, the youngsters headed up into the forest to play, not a care in their young lives. They knew to be careful out in the forest, there were wolves around that could kill them and men who could shoot fire from their hands but such threats paled into insignificance while the young boys were with their older brother. Ratonhnhaké:ton would never let any harm happen to them, he always said that he would keep them safe no matter what.

Getting up to their favourite play area, the children quickly discussed what they would play and settled on hide and seek. The twins still didn't know their numbers so they were left out of the draw for who would be first to count but they knew some of the best hiding spots in the area and had no doubt they could hide from any of their friends. Even when their brother ended up being the one with the short stick, the twins were not worried.

As Ratonhnhaké:ton turned and leant up against the tree, shielding his eyes behind his arms, the twins turned and ran with the other children, weaving through the undergrowth and eventually burrowing into a big pile of freshly fallen branches. Wriggling right into the middle of the pile, they curled up together and settled in for the wait, calm and content surrounded by the fresh scents of the natural world around them.

Renzo snuggled closer to his twin and closed his eyes, lulled to a deep sense of peace by the welcoming arms of Mother Earth around him. He likely would have fallen asleep, had they both not been suddenly grabbed by small, strong hands. Letting out matching yelps, the brothers kicked free and turned to face their attacker, only to find Ratonhnhaké:ton standing behind them laughing. Growling low, the twins launched out of the branches and tackled him to the ground, pinning him easily even though he was older.  
'I left you until last, what more do you want?' Ratonhnhaké:ton giggled, sitting up and welcoming the twins into his embrace.  
'How about not scaring us like that?' Renzo replied, careful of the feathers in his hair as he moved closer to his siblings.  
'Agreed.' Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded, getting up and leading the pair back to the starting stones.

This time Kanen'tó:kon drew the short stick and headed for the tree to count. With a grin and a laugh, the three brothers raced off together, looking for a hiding spot more than big enough for them all. Dashing through the undergrowth, holding hands to keep each other safe, they weaved past the cliffs and trees, startling the animals before finally settling on a larger pile of branches that had fallen in the last storms and been dragged together for later use by the village.

Keeping his promise, Ratonhnhaké:ton huddled the twins into the very centre of the branch pile and curled up around them, half draped over them as he peered out through a gap in the branches to see if Kanen'tó:kon had come their way yet. Minds filled with thoughts of what the hunters would bring back for the evening meal and all the adventures yet to enjoy, the young siblings were happy to sit and listen to nature around them, not concerned about any dangers in their forest home.

Suddenly a large pair of hands reached in and grabbed Ratonhnhaké:ton, yanking him out of the leaves and sending him tumbling to the ground. Frightened by the snatching of their elder brother, the young twins huddled close and listened to the sounds beyond their leafy hiding spot, hopeful that Ratonhnhaké:ton would be safe. They could hear footsteps, at least four sets, and then the sound of their brother running, only to hit the ground again. The men were speaking English, the twins knew a little bit but not really enough to follow what was being said.

Tensing up when they heard Ratonhnhaké:ton demand to be released, the twins slowly moved through the brush around them, remembering their lessons on stealth and silence. Reaching out slowly, Renzo moved a single branch, enough for them to see and he immediately wished that he hadn't. Four white men had caught their brother and one had him pinned up against a tree, large hands wrapped around his throat as he spoke, his voice dark and cruel. They heard another of the men speak, low and cold, as Ratonhnhaké:ton gasped for breath and struggled against the hold the heavyset man had on him.

Making their choice, the twins launched from their hiding spot and drew their little daggers, a gift to welcome them into the village. Darting forward, they slipped past the other three and lashed out at the one threatening their brother, driving the small but incredibly sharp blades into his thighs and relishing his roar of pain as Ratonhnhaké:ton was released and fell heavily to the ground. Wrenching their pitiful weapons clear again, the twins backed up and turned, putting their backs together and holding up their weapons in warning.  
'You leave our brother alone! We are not afraid of you!' Vanni screamed, lunging at one man who foolishly got too close and tearing open his leg.  
'You are white children.' another of the men muttered, jumping back when Renzo swiped at him.  
'No, we are Kanien'kehá:ka.' Renzo corrected, lashing out again at the man they had stabbed to free their brother. 'Leave, or the next strike will take your cock!'

Sitting up slowly, still gasping for breath, Ratonhnhaké:ton could only watch in disbelief as his young brothers stood up to these men, blood already staining their small knives. They moved with such skill for ones so young, lunging and dancing as the four men tried to herd them towards him.  
'And so, I spare you; that you may carry word back to your people. Let them know the sooner we are given what we seek, the sooner you can return to your pathetic, empty lives. A fair trade, is it not?' the one who had tried to kill him spoke, blood spilling down the sides of his legs.  
'What…is your…name?' Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, lifting his gaze and glaring at the speaker.  
'Charles Lee. Why do you ask?' he replied, bending down to look Ratonhnhaké:ton in the eyes properly, seeing the spark of defiance there.  
'So we can find you.' Vanni snapped, twisting under a raised musket to score another spill of blood from the thin, lanky man behind Lee.  
'I look forward to it.' Lee laughed, though the smug look was quickly wiped off his face when Renzo scored another hit to his leg.

Standing defiant and tall as Charles Lee turned and walked away, giving a lazy signal to the man in red, Vanni saw what was happening and bravely stepped to meet the swinging musket, letting out a soft grunt as it struck him in the head and dropped him to the grass. Ratonhnhaké:ton could only watch in breathless horror as Renzo was knocked to the ground as well.  
'you will all pay for this.' he vowed, glaring up at the men before he too was knocked unconscious and left alone in the forest.

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Waking some time later, Ratonhnhaké:ton struggled to his knees and looked for his younger brothers, finding them already coming around with blood across their faces and matted in their hair. Staggering to his feet, he took his younger brothers by the hand and led them back towards the village, struggling to walk in a straight line as his vision swam. Holding tight to each other, working as one to try and keep a reasonably straight path home, the brothers were all feeling the worse for their meeting with Charles Lee and his men and each vowed that he would pay for threatening their brothers.

Getting closer to their village, they could smell smoke and then they saw the flames, screaming in horror and shock to see their home burning to the ground. Picking up the pace, they ran as fast as they could into the village and looked around before heading for their longhouse and their mother. Weaving through the burning buildings and dodging falling timber, the boys made it to their home and could hear their mother inside but the door was blocked, there was no way to reach her. Starting to circle the house, they found a section of the walls had fallen and rushed inside, desperate to save their beloved mother from the flames.  
'I am here. We are here. It is going to be fine.' Ratonhnhaké:ton promised, starting to pull at the fallen timbers trapping Kaniehtí:io in the burning hut.  
'No my sons. You must leave. Now.' she replied, frightened for her sons and trying desperately to make them leave her.  
'Not without you!' Vanni replied, tugging at the ropes still around the timber in an attempt to pull it free. 'We are family.'  
'It's too late for that.' she corrected, beckoning her sons closer and reaching out to them through the fallen timbers. 'You must be strong, my sons. You must be brave.'  
'Stop it. Stop it!' Renzo pleaded, not ready to say goodbye to his mother.  
'You will think yourselves alone, but know that I will be at your sides. Always and forever.' Kaniehtí:io offered, such sorrow in her eyes as she looked at her boys.

Grabbed from behind, the three boys put up a fight as they were lifted off the ground and pulled away from their mother. They kicked and screamed, determined to get back to her but the village men that held them were stronger and kept them away as the roof collapsed and they lost all sight of their beloved mother. As the roof fell, the brothers were almost certain they heard her call that she loved them but the noise of the fire and falling roof made it hard to be sure.

They were finally released once they were beyond the village, surrounded by the rest of the survivors. Dropping to his knees, Ratonhnhaké:ton opened his arms to his brothers and held them tight, mourning the loss of their mother and making his own promises that no matter what happened, he would always be there for his brothers. Clinging to each other as they wept, the brothers had never felt more alone than they did right now. All they had was each other but it would have to be enough.

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Waking with a start when someone touched his shoulder, Renzo sat up and looked around, relaxing slowly when he realised that it was all just a strange dream. It had felt so real, like he was actually in that forest as a young boy, running beside an older boy with Vanni at his side. It had all felt natural and comfortable; the fight against those four men seemed especially right to him.

Finally accepting that it was just a strange dream, Renzo sighed and turned to see who had woken him. Luisa was perched on the side of his bed, looking at him worriedly. Summoning a smile, Renzo reached out and hugged her close, reassuring his mind that he was home in Italy and not running through the forest somewhere.  
'I heard you whimpering in your sleep, I was worried.' she explained, curling up close to him and resting her head on his shoulder.  
'It was just a dream, Luisa. Just a very weird dream. I'm okay, it's nothing to worry about.' Renzo soothed, looking over to where Vanni was still fast asleep.  
'Breakfast will be ready soon, you know how madre worries if we're late to any meal.' Luisa grinned, reassured that everything was alright with Renzo.  
'Alright, just let me get Vanni going and we'll be down for breakfast.' Renzo nodded, kissing her hair and helping her down off the bed. 'Go on, tell madre we won't be long.'  
'You'd better hurry, it's pancakes for breakfast today.' she laughed, darting out of the room and out of sight.

Getting out of bed, Renzo padded across the room and sat beside his twin, reaching out to shake him awake. Eyes snapping open, Vanni grabbed his wrist and twisted it sharply, sending Renzo spinning off the bed in an attempt to break his grip before any bones were broken. Somehow they both ended up on the floor in a tangle, Vanni's sheets and blankets wrapped around them both.  
'I had the weirdest dream last night.' Vanni yawned, sitting up and looking at the mess they had made. 'We were living in some sort of native village, like the ones madre told us about.'  
'And we were being raised by a single woman along side her own son…Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Renzo nodded, the name rolling off his tongue so easily.  
'You too?' Vanni asked, stunned that his brother was having the same dreams. 'Did you dream of the village burning and Ratonhnhaké:ton promising to always watch out for us?'  
'In return we promised to always be there for him and make sure our mother was avenged.' Renzo grinned, shaken by the idea of having an identical dream to his brother but also fascinated.  
'What do you suppose it all means?' Vanni sighed, getting to his feet and throwing his bedding back onto his bed for later.  
'No idea, but it's an interesting thought. I guess the only way to find out is to see if we dream of Ratonhnhaké:ton again tonight.' Renzo shrugged, pulling off his pyjamas and reaching for a clean pair of jeans. 'Better hurry up and get ready, Luisa said it was pancakes for breakfast today.'  
'We really do need to hurry, you know how dad can be.' Vanni laughed, dressing quickly and pulling his hair back into a low tail secured with a purple band. 'Do you think we should tell anyone else about our dreams?'  
'Not until we know more. This could be nothing or it could be something really exciting. No point stirring up a fuss until we know for certain.' Renzo suggested, not sure what else to do in their current situation. 'Madre will only think us mad if we have nothing else to offer but one shared dream of a native village.


	2. Discoveries

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Discoveries  
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Arriving in Boston, feeling so much more comfortable and secure in their identities and abilities, the brothers stayed close to Achilles Davenport, having already grown and changed so much since arriving at the Davenport Homestead and beginning their training under Achilles. Just six months since their arrival and the brothers were confident, skilled and ready for the world. They were still naïve to the realities of the world but even that was starting to fade out a little. The change was most noticeable in Vanni and Renzo; they still wore their native clothes and their wild hairstyles, beads and feathers marking their true allegiance to their village. But no matter how much they tried to look like the Kanien'kehá:ka people, it was blatantly clear that they were white boys, separated from their people at an early age and raised by the natives.

Jumping out of the carriage, the three boys looked around in disbelief and wonder, trying to take in the sights of this amazing city and all the wonders it held. Nothing they had ever seen could compare to this incredible sight. There was so much to see, everywhere people were going about their lives and now these three young men were getting their first look at this lively place.  
'Don't stare.' Achilles chastised, reaching out to nudge Ratonhnhaké:ton with his cane.  
'Sorry.' Vanni replied, pulling his gaze back to their mentor.  
'Come on.' Achilles directed, starting to hobble away slowly.  
'This place is incredible. The people. The sounds and smells.' Ratonhnhaké:ton remarked, still looking around as they followed Achilles.  
'We could walk these streets for days and know not even half its wonders…' Vanni agreed, keeping his head down as they walked.  
'I thought the same as you upon a time. These days, I much prefer the quiet of the countryside.' Achilles replied, looking back over his shoulder at the three young men.  
'But there is so much life here. So many opportunities.' Renzo shrugged, astounded by what he was witnessing all around them.  
'For a few, my boys. For a few…' Achilles warned, mostly ignoring the chill winter wind blowing around them.

Stopping on one particular street corner, Achilles motioned the brothers to him and looked them over, a faint smile touching his weathered face. They were skilled boys, naïve to the world but skilled and tightly entwined. Wherever one went, the other two were sure to be close. He had been trying to foster true independence in them but nothing could tear them apart.  
'There's a store near here. You are to buy the items on this list. Tell them where the carriage is - and they'll see that it's loaded. Understood?' Achilles briefed, handing Ratonhnhaké:ton a folded sheet of paper.  
'Yes.' Vanni nodded, excited for the adventure.  
'Good. You're also going to need a new name. Your skin is fair enough that you might pass for one with Spanish or Italian blood.' Achilles continued, handing the eldest sibling a pouch of pounds to spend on their purchases. 'Better to be a Spaniard than a Native. And both are better still than I.'  
'That is not true.' Renzo replied, refusing to believe some of the things he was hearing.  
'What's true and what is aren't always the same.' Achilles reminded them, watching out for threats as he spoke.  
'What would you call us, then?' Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, drawing his brothers' close again.  
'Vanni and Renzo will be fine; their names are unusual but not obviously native.' Achilles sighed, gaze dropping to the younger pair. 'Connor. Yes. That will be your name.'  
'We could always go by our full names.' Renzo suggested, looking at Vanni with a grin. 'Lorenzo and Giovanni.'  
'You two will easily pass for ones of Italian blood with names like that.' Achilles nodded, nudging Ratonhnhaké:ton in the back with his cane. 'Alright then. Off you go.'

Though they had never been to Boston before, the brothers almost instinctively knew where to go and took off at a jog, weaving through the crowds and somehow knowing where to turn to find their goal. Boots crunching on the snow, they stayed close together, watching for danger and listening for any potential leads on their eventual targets. They were still so young and not ready for a full scale fight but at least they could practise here.

Finding the general store with relative ease, the brothers kicked the snow off their boots and stepped inside, their eyes widening once more as they took in new wonders revealed to them. This store had things that none of them had seen before and could only guess at the purpose of.  
'You lost?' the man behind the counter asked, eyeing the trio warily.  
'We need the items on this list.' Vanni replied, accepting the page from Connor and approaching the bench slowly.  
'Will you be paying with coin or trade?'  
'We have coin to pay with.' Renzo nodded, accepting the pouch from Connor and tipping a few coins onto the bench.  
'Some of these things I have. Some I don't. Lumber's hard to come by since my supplier up and vanished. I have the tools and pitch, though. Nails too.' the storekeeper offered, sliding a few of the coins his way and pushing the rest back to Renzo. 'Where do you want this delivered?'  
'Our wagon is near the state house.' Connor replied, securing the pouch again. 'Thank you.'

Leaving the store as quietly as they had entered, the brothers listened to the angered voices outside the building, men going on about taxes and representation, things being done without consent and Britain. Worried by the talk, the brothers turned and started to jog again, weaving through the growing crowds to find Achilles and ask his opinion on the situation.  
'We have to find Achilles. He'll know what to do.' Vanni suggested, picking up his pace a little.  
'Preferably without attracting attention.' Connor agreed, noting the soldiers all around them.

They found him in one of the many open public spaces, watching the crowds with a sorrowful look in his dark eyes. Neatly avoiding another group of redcoats, the brothers gathered around Achilles and followed him as he turned away from the discontented people.  
'What happened?' Connor asked, trying to reassure his brothers.  
'That's what we're going to find out. Follow me.' Achilles replied, leading the trio out of the square.

Moving with the people, listening more closely to what was being said and trying to sort it all out, the brothers kept part of their attention on Achilles and the rest on their surroundings, filing away what they heard and trying their hardest to make sense of it all. Resting one hand on Connor's shoulder, Achilles used his cane to point through the irate crowd, drawing attention to a familiar figure standing near the custom's house.  
'Is that my father…?' Connor asked, looking at the distinguished man standing there talking to another man.  
'Yes. Which means trouble is sure to follow.' Achilles nodded, looking around at the boys. Connor, I need you to tail his accomplice. This crowd is a powder keg - we can't allow him to light the fuse.'  
'What about us?' Vanni asked, itching for something to do.  
'Lorenzo, I want you to do whatever you can to distract Haytham Kenway. Giovanni, you're the better shot. Get up on the rooftops and take out anyone that tries to set this crowd into violence.' Achilles instructed, pleased to see that the brothers were capable of accepting separate duties when it was required.  
'We're on it.' Renzo added, starting to move forward to line up on this Haytham Kenway.

Creeping closer to his target, Renzo watched Connor for a few moments before making his run at Kenway as he turned around. Scooping up a pile of horse dung in one hand, Renzo picked his moment and broke into a run, bounding up onto a barrel by the custom's house and launching into the air. Swiping keyway's hat with his right hand, he shoved the horse shit into his hair and landed lightly, sprinting away with his prize as Haytham yelled obscenities after him.  
'Come on you crump-backed scab! I ain't scared of you!' Renzo taunted, waving his prize overhead as he tried to draw Kenway into a chase. 'What? Doubt you can keep up, old man?'  
'Oh, you will pay for this, boy.' Kenway growled, moving actually quite fast for a man of his age. Shoving the stolen hat inside his shirt, Renzo spun and took off down the street at a full sprint, hoping that Vanni and Connor were having just as much luck.

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Climbing up onto the rooftops, smirking at what Renzo had gone and done to thoroughly distract and irritate Kenway, Vanni picked his way back towards the growing crowd, careful not to be seen by the redcoats up here patrolling for any who did not belong. For now he was caution but not afraid, walking along the peaks of the roofs when he could and ducking down to the sides when he had to. It was almost a shame how easy it was, he would have liked a little more of a challenge.

Spotting his brother as he climbed up onto a rooftop across the square, Vanni ducked behind the nearest chimney and peeked around the corner, choking on his laughter as he spotted Kenway giving chase and in the foulest of moods. It was a pure golden moment, the classic antics of his more outgoing brother certainly matched up with his mission for now.

Waiting until Kenway was passed him; Vanni emerged from his hiding spot and continued forward, unslinging his bow and checking the string was in good condition still as he crept across the snow capped roofline. He quickly ducked back though when he heard heavier footsteps in front of him. Pressing up against a chimney, he peeked around the corner and froze, heart skipping a beat as he set eyes on Charles Lee and remembered that day in the forest when they were just children.

Ducking back out of sight, Vanni reached for an arrow and nocked it smoothly as he turned out from behind the chimney and sighted on Lee's back. Out the corner of his eye, Vanni saw Connor grab the gunman on the other side of the street and the quick glint of metal as he jammed a knife into the gunman's back.

Tearing his attention away from Connor and his target, Vanni refocused his gaze on Lee's back and cursed softly as he fired a shot into the air. Drawing back his bow, Vanni loosed his arrow and ducked back out of sight, peering around the corner to see Charles stumble and slip off the rooftop. Securing his bow, Vanni turned and raced away from the scene, not really worried if Lee survived the fall or not.

From his position on the other side of the street, Connor saw Lee hit the ground and nodded faintly before turning and fleeing the area, slipping on the icy rooftops as he ran away from the redcoats. Staying up on the rooftops to avoid most of the guards, Connor caught up with Vanni and together they fled, running hard to get some distance before diving into a hay cart to hide. Saying nothing, clutching each other close, the brothers could only hope that Renzo was safe and well clear of Kenway now that things were going to hell.

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Dropping a crafty little surprise as he raced across another rooftop, Renzo launched out over the gap and pulled Kenway's hat from inside his shirt, weighting it with a stone he'd picked up during a street run and dropping it into the water trough below. Landing safely on the other side of the gap, he turned and held out his arms, taunting Kenway to give chase. If he'd planned this right, it would be a grand scene and sure to ruin Kenway's reputation. If only his brothers were here to watch the spectacle.

Sure enough, Kenway took the bait, an enraged look on his face as he charged at the young upstart that had led him on such a merry chase. Eyes narrow, lips curled back in an angry snarl, he hit the little patch Renzo had tainted and slipped, his angry snarl transforming into pure shock as he rocketed off the end of the building and dropped into the narrow street. Stepping up to the edge of the building he was on, Renzo looked down and laughed at the sight of Kenway flailing about in the horse trough, dripping wet and pissed as hell.  
'Until next time, you lobcock!' Renzo called, waving cheerily down to Kenway before turning and making his way back across the rooftops.

Bounding the gaps and dodging the redcoats that had been stirred up by all of this ugly business, the wayward brother ran hard, starting to feel the pressures of his busy day but he had to get back to his siblings and figure out what to do next. Slowing his pace a little, trying to ease the burning of his legs and in his chest, he picked a hay cart below and vaulting off the rooftop, dropping down into the cart.

It was only through his training that Renzo avoided making any noise when he realised that Connor and Vanni were both hiding in this cart. He just reached out to his brothers and held their hands, relieved to have found them, even if it was a complete accident. Outside their little hiding spot, they could clearly hear the guards still searching for them and didn't dare to speak, instead they used their hands to reassure and support, gently squeezing at each others hands and arms as they waited it out.

Finally the guards stopped searching for them and Connor slipped out of the cart, looking around quickly before signalling for his brothers to emerge. One last look around for trouble and they set out again to find Achilles and figure out what to do next. They didn't even get four steps away from the cart before a dirty man approached them, talking softly and keeping his hands in sight.  
'You there!' he hissed, following as they tried to move away. 'Careful now…I'm here to help.'  
'Who are you?' Connor asked, making sure to keep his younger brothers behind him.  
'Just a messenger. Mister Adams wants a word.'  
'What? Why?' Renzo asked, one hand on his knife as he watched the man.  
'You'll need ask him that yourselves. He'll meet you tonight near Faneuil Hill. I suggest laying low until then.' and with that, the dirty man walked away, leaving the brothers confused and a little nervous about this Mister Adams.

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His mood as foul as it had ever been, Haytham stalked into the Green Dragon and up the stairs, a heavy scowl on his face as water dripped from his sodden hair, bringing with it the odour of the horse shit still crushed into his locks. Ignoring the wet mess he left behind him, he brushed off the concerns of the owners and thumped upstairs, reining in his urge to yank his soggy boots off and simply throw them at someone.

Tossing his hat onto the table with a wet slap, he slumped down in his usual seat and snarled, warning anyone about opening their damned mouths and risking his wrath. The scent of something equally horrid behind him had him lifting his angered gaze and turning to see where the stench was coming from. One look and his anger turned into concern and frustration.

Charles stood behind him, muck all over his face and clothes and what looked like bits of straw in his hair. In one hand he held a broken arrow, the other was curled across his chest, palm against his ribs on the left side. Just from the way he was standing, it was clear that he was hurting, as if the blood on his face and collar and the swelling of his features wasn't enough of an indication.  
'It appears I ended up with the bath you clearly need.' Haytham remarked, getting to his feet and picking up his hat again. 'What happened?'  
'I don't know Sir. I was up on the rooftop where you told me to be, I took the shot and something went hissing past my ear. I lost my balance and fell, right in a pile of horse shit. I found this beside me when I regained my senses.' Charles explained, holding out the arrow he had recovered.  
'When I find those little bastards I would very much enjoy seeing them dangle.' Haytham growled, turning back to the table. 'Thomas, do something useful and go order two baths.'

Grumbling under his breath, Thomas stood unsteadily and headed for the stairs, flinching away from the lingering odour clinging to Charles. William also stood but he didn't leave, instead he pulled off the native cloak he wore and draped it around Haytham's back, noting how he had started shivering just faintly. Nodding his thanks, Haytham pulled the warm, dry cloak tight around his shoulders and looked at Charles, understanding in his eyes.  
'I really should know better than to let those street urchins bother me but the things that boy called me simply could not be excused.' Haytham sighed, tugging the cloak tighter around his shoulders and hunching a little. 'I did not expect him to trick me onto a slick patch. I slipped and fell from the rooftops right into a horse trough. He planned it for certain, I found my hat in the same trough with a rock tucked inside it.'  
'No wonder you're shaking so much. This weather is cold enough without getting soaked to the bone.' Charles remarked, keeping his distance from the group, well aware of just how bad he smelled right now.

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'Madre, when did the Assassins first get to North America?' Renzo asked, looking up from his studies of their Order.  
'Ezio sent a small group to the New World somewhere around 1502 but it wasn't until the 1730's that the Assassins really had a strong position in America.' Emily replied, tipping her head to the side. 'Why do you ask bambino?'  
'We've been having these strange dreams, every night for the last couple of months. We dream the same thing, follow the same adventure and run freely beside a third.' Vanni explained, pushing his reading aside and focusing on their mother.  
'Go on, tell me more of these dreams.' Emily nodded, perching on an empty study desk and watching her sons.  
'The first one we were just little boys again, I'd guess around 4 and we were living in a native village. It was clear we weren't part of the tribe but they welcomed us in anyway. We were raised by a young woman with a son of her own, he was a few months older than us.' Renzo grinned, relieved that Emily was listening to them and not just tossing out their concerns.  
'Can you tell me anything of the tribe you were with?' Emily asked, looking around the Sanctuary and all the knowledge contained within it. 'Let's see if we can't figure out where your dreams have taken you.'  
'They were known as the Kanien'kehá:ka people, we were raised by Kaniehtí:io beside her son Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Renzo offered, the names rolling off his tongue so easily.  
'Say that again.' Emily instructed, bolting to her feet. 'That last word you said.'  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton?' Vanni queried, startled by Emily's reaction. 'What's so important madre?'  
'Just let me grab the right books and we'll discuss it.' Emily replied, scanning the shelves quickly before turning and plunging into the vast library they had up here.

Returning shortly with two very thick books, Emily set one on an empty desk and rested the other in her lap, opening it slowly and starting to flick through the pages carefully. Like so many of their highly prized books, this was an antique piece, full of information on the Assassins of the past and this one was specifically devoted to the Colonial Assassins.  
'Say it again, I can't pronounce it but I can at least guess at the spelling.' she requested, glancing up from the book in her lap.  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton. He also went by the name Connor.' Renzo shrugged, glancing at his brother curiously. 'What's going on madre?'

Getting to her feet again, Emily carried the heavy book over and placed it on a support stand built into the desk between the brothers, pinning the pages open with her hands. Now they understood what was so important for on the open pages in front of them was a simple dossier on Connor and a full page sketch of him in his robes, peaked hood drawn down over his eyes.  
'At the moment he doesn't look like that. Are there more pictures?' Vanni sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'My guess, we're still at the pre-initiation stage.'  
'So more like this then?' Emily nodded, turning the page to reveal a younger man staring out from behind his mop of unkempt hair.  
'That's him, that's the point were at now.' Renzo grinned, amazed to realise that their dreams were a glimpse into the past of the Order.

Sighing softly, Emily looked down at the mistrustful eyes of a young boy forced to grow up before his time and bear the burden of responsibilities too heavy for such an innocent soul. He was a highly respected member of their Order, a guiding light for so many American Assassins that came after him. Even she had been inspired by his actions and the way he kept striving to hold to his beliefs and still achieve what he had to do to ensure the future freedoms of America.  
'Of all the Assassins for you to be dreaming of, you found a story that is full of tragedy and pain, of twisting paths and switching allegiances. He was the inspiration for so many American Assassins after him, we have all strived to be just like him.' she explained, letting her fingers drift over the page. 'An instinctual Assassin, a natural seaman that earned the respect of his crew and captained the Aquila through many harsh battles and yet still a gentle soul.'  
'The Aquila? We haven't see that bit yet.' Vanni replied, breath catching as Emily turned the page again and revealed the fine ship at full sail.  
'At one point, the Assassins had a powerful Navy and raided any Templar vessel stupid enough to sail into range. The Aquila was the last of those ships, she spent several years as a rotting hulk in the harbour near Davenport Homestead until Connor got bitten by the sailing bug and got her back into the fight.' Emily chuckled, looking down at the ship. 'There's a huge chance that you'll get to serve aboard her if these dreams truly follow Connor's life.'  
'But we don't know anything about sailing.' Renzo worried, daring to reach out and touch the ship on the page.  
'And you shouldn't know the Mohawk language, but you do. Somehow these dreams are teaching you new skills, helping you to grow into Assassins in ways your father and I could only dream of for you. Pay attention to what you are learning, these skills could prove invaluable when you are finally placed on the roster for global missions.' Emily suggested, so proud of her boys and this adventure they were now involved with. 'This will give you an advantage, make the most of it.'

Eyes scanning the rigging and sails of the Aquila, Vanni rubbed his stubbled chin in thought and smiled softly, already starting to see the easiest ways up the ropes and nets to reach various points on the masts. It was one thing to think it though, they would need to practise to avoid any serious injuries when they were finally given clearance to try onboard this fine vessel.  
'Madre, are there any Assassin sailing vessels left?' he asked, bright eyes still locked on the image.  
'There might be a couple preserved as museums and memorials but no, there are none left to roam the vast oceans.' Emily replied, gaze drifting to a collection of oil paintings on the wall depicting several Assassin ships of all types. 'The Aquila sank at her moorings in the late 1800s, some people suspected foul play but most agree it was just age and disrepair.'  
'Could we build one?' Vanni tried, finally looking away from the beautiful ship.  
'What are you thinking, Giovanni?' Emily asked, eyeing him warily and wondering just what he was trying to guide her towards.  
'Well, if we're going to learn about living and working onboard a sail ship, shouldn't we have somewhere to practise in the waking world? Everything else we have learned we have been able to practise in the gardens or the solitude of our room, even the art of free-running in the trees. But to master the rigging and become fully comfortable with the skills we learn on the water, we will need a place to practise.' Vanni explained, pointing at the finely drawn image of the Aquila again.  
'Hmmm, I can't build you a real ship, we simply haven't the space or money to build a lake large enough for you to sail her. But perhaps we can build a static version to the original specifications, recreate everything from the waterline up and bring the Aquila back to life that way.' Emily shrugged, turning her attention to the city map on the wall nearby. 'We could put it down in that back corner where nothing seems to grow.'


	3. To War

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To war  
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Smiling softly at his younger brothers as they donned the robes Achilles had found for them to wear, Connor finished pulling his hair back again and stretched, quite liking how his new garments fit him. They were no longer native men running about trying to stop the unknown, now they were truly Assassins and ready to face the Templars on the battlefield.  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton, can you help me with this?' Lorenzo asked, holding up his eagle feather.  
'Spare a moment?' Achilles asked, the two requests mingling in the quiet of the basement.  
'Just a moment, Achilles.' Connor replied, glancing at Achilles for a second before turning towards Lorenzo. 'Come here, little one.'  
'Not such little ones anymore.' Giovanni chuckled, coming over with his own eagle feather. 'If you don't mind, brother?'  
'When have I ever minded when you ask things of me, Vanni?' Connor laughed, spinning his brothers around and taking their feathers.

Securing the feathers with practised ease so they wouldn't be damaged by their hoods, Connor turned and allowed the younger pair to adjust his feather and beads before they all approached Achilles. Reaching out, they accepted the bundled ropes he was holding, examining the barbed heads and checking just how securely they were made.  
'What are these?' Lorenzo asked, moving back when Connor started to swing his around.  
'A Sheng Biao - or rope dart if you prefer.' Achilles explained, eyeing Connor warily. 'One of the many plans given to us by Shao Jun to -'  
'Okay, gotta keep a tight grip on these things.' Giovanni remarked, stunned when Connor's rope dart ended up imbedded in a wooden pillar.  
'Sorry.' Connor offered, glancing at his brothers.  
'Hmmm. We'll have to work on this.' Achilles nodded, turning when someone knocked on a door above their heads somewhere.

Managing to wrench the misdirected weapon from the timber, Connor gathered up the rope and tucked the device into one of his new belt pouches before leading his brothers upstairs and out of the secret entrance. Throughout their years together, the trio had established a pattern and they stuck to it regardless of what Achilles asked of them. Connor always led, Giovanni at his left shoulder and Lorenzo at his right. It was nothing against either younger brother, this was simply where they felt most comfortable.

Opening the front door of the homestead, the brothers were all shocked to see Kanen'tó:kon standing there in traditional dress, a serious look in his once laughing eyes. Pushing the door open fully, Connor stepped out and smiled as the younger pair moved out to lean against the door frame.  
'Kanen'tó:kon?' Connor asked, stunned to see their childhood friend here.  
'Yes, my friends.' he nodded, gaze drifting over the trio.  
'What brings you here? Is the village alright?' Giovanni asked, worried for their people still out in the valley.  
'For now.' Kanen'tó:kon replied, watching the brothers closely.  
'What do you mean? What has happened?' Lorenzo asked, dread settling heavily in his gut.  
'Men came, claiming we had to leave. They said that the land was being sold and that the Confederacy had consented. We sent an envoy, but they would not listen…' Kanen'tó:kon explained, his eyes darkening with sorrow.  
'You must refuse!' Connor insisted, heart clenching at the thought of losing his ancestral home.  
'We cannot oppose the sachem. But you are right as well. We cannot give up our home.' Kanen'tó:kon agreed, reaching out to rest one hand on Giovanni's shoulder.  
'Do you have a name? Do you know who is responsible?' Lorenzo asked, determined to get to the bottom of this and end the threat to their home.  
'He is called William Johnson.'  
'Where is Johnson now?' Giovanni requested, not sure he could but he had to try and keep his brothers from doing anything stupid.  
'In Boston, making preparations for the sale.'  
'Sale? This is theft!' Lorenzo scoffed, shaking his head slowly.  
'Boys, take care. These men are powerful.' Achilles warned, pausing in the open doorway.  
'What would you have us do? We made a promise to our people.' Connor challenged, sick and tired of being told they weren't ready.  
'If you insist upon this course of action, seek out Sam Adams in Boston. He'll be able to help.' Achilles guided, accepting that there was nothing he could do to stop them from this course.

Holding out his hand, Connor motioned for the tomahawk Kanen'tó:kon had tucked through his belt. Realising what was going on, the twins stepped forward as Connor turned the tomahawk to them, holding the head firmly in his hand. Reaching out, they wrapped their hands around the handle and nodded, accepting their places in the war being declared. Flipping the weapon in his hand, Connor nodded, turned and thudded it home in the front pillar of the house, right there for the world to see.  
'What have you done?!' Achilles demanded, not at all pleased with what he was witnessing.  
'When our people go to war, a hatchet is buried into a post to signify its start. When the threat is ended, the hatchet is removed.' Giovanni explained, a fierce new light in his eyes.  
'You could have used a tree!' Achilles protested, watching as the brothers turned away from him.  
'A tree can be anywhere, the pillar represents the supporting pillar of our home.' Lorenzo replied, not even looking back over his shoulder as he spoke.

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Arriving back in their village after what felt like half an eternity away from familiar ground, the brothers approached the central fire pit to speak with Kanen'tó:kon again. It was no surprise that he had beaten them here, they had been forced to stop and deal with other business during their journey to the village.  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton, Vanni, Renzo! I am glad for your visit.' he greeted, the native language bringing such comfort to the trio after so long without anyone else to speak it with.  
'How are things?' Giovanni asked, warming his hands and relaxing into the familiarity of this life.  
'A good year. Our harvest was plentiful, our numbers swell and the forest remains undisturbed.' Kanen'tó:kon replied, smiling fondly at the younger men.  
'I am glad of it.' Connor nodded, watching over his brothers to ensure none of the village women tried anything.  
'And how are you all?' Kanen'tó:kon continued, moving back a little from the fire.  
'Kept busy by our enemies.' Lorenzo replied, rolling his shoulders quickly. 'But their power wanes. We are hopeful the land will be free of their influence soon.'  
'I have kept your places inside the longhouse. It will be there for you when you are ready to come home…' Kanen'tó:kon offered, making it clear that he wished they would return and forget all about Achilles and what they were trying to achieve.  
'And perhaps one day we will return.' Connor allowed, keeping his tone neutral. 'Come, we should speak with Oiá:ner while we are here.'

Rolling their eyes behind their still raised cowls, the twins obediently followed Connor through the village and into one of the longhouses. As much as they still respected the ways of their people, the boys had little time for Oiá:ner and her rambling non-explanations of things. But Connor respected her and gave great thought to her words so the twins kept their mouths shut and sat beside Connor to hear what she had to say.  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton? Vanni? Renzo? I hardly recognise you boys.' she remarked, looking at the trio with a smile.  
'I am sorry that we did not visit sooner. Our time is taken up with study.' Connor replied, well aware of what Vanni and Renzo thought of Oiá:ner.  
'Have you found what you seek, then?' Oiá:ner asked, her wise old eyes settling on Connor again.  
'It is too soon to know. But we are on the proper path.' Connor nodded, a little disappointed that his brothers wouldn't speak up but he chose not to call attention to it.  
'Already it is more than most.' Oiá:ner agreed, gaze drifting to the younger pair again.  
'But will it be enough?' Connor asked, drawing her attention back to him.  
'That is something only you can answer.' Oiá:ner offered, earning another eye roll from the young twins but she didn't see it.

Speaking for a few minutes longer, Connor thanked Oiá:ner for her counsel and stood, motioning for the twins to follow him back out into the sunlight. Calling for their horses, the brothers mounted up and left the village again, heading out on the long road to Boston to begin their true mission. It was time for the Templars in the colonies to learn the folly of their desires.

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Bloodied, bruised but with their spirits still unbroken and a long list of things to do, Lorenzo stood watch with a smirk on his face as Connor went toe-to-toe with Sam Adams and Giovanni slipped around knocking off redcoats wherever he saw them. Though he appeared not to be listening and was completely ignored by the citizens, Lorenzo could hear everything being said around him.  
'We have spent today drawn from one bit of madness to another with nothing to show for it. Before we go any further, I would like to know exactly what it is you intend.' Connor insisted, tired of only know half the plan.  
'Of course. First, we make our way to Nathaniel Bradlee's house to gather the rest of our little group. Then it's on to Griffin's Wharf, where we board the ships and dump the tea. Simple as that.' Sam explained, unaware of the extra eyes watching him.  
'Simple seems a bit charitable.' Connor scoffed, motioning for Lorenzo to hold back a little longer.  
'Cheer up Connor. For tonight we are all victors! The Sons of Liberty get to send a message to England and you rob William Johnson of his financing. Your village will be saved.' Sam replied, not able to fully grasp why Connor was so angered by the hesitation to take real action.

Catching the sharp sound of a familiar whistle, Connor launched at the three men with him, driving them back several steps just as a blood smeared corpse fell from the rooftops and landed with an ugly splat where they had been standing seconds previously. Growling low in his throat, Connor turned and looked up, his scowl deepening at the flicker of blue cloth he saw before the figure on the roof was out of sight.  
'You know it's nothing personal Ratonhnhaké:ton. Vanni is just doing what he does best.' Lorenzo shrugged, resting one hand on Connor's shoulder.  
'I thought we agreed not to go hunting in Boston just yet.' Connor sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'And wait until we are all talked to death?' Giovanni snorted, appearing beside them. 'Better to act now than for our enemies to become too powerful for us to defeat them.'  
'I am not saying I disagree Vanni, but we must be careful. No doubt the Templars already know we are in Boston, best not to make it too easy for them to find us.' Connor shrugged, looking around quickly just to be sure no one was lurking around them.  
'If the Templars do not know we are here, they are bigger fools than we thought. I came very near to dropping a body on Benjamin. He skipped clear at the last moment but there is no way he missed the implications.' Lorenzo smirked, unrepentant for his actions.

Reaching out quickly, Connor slapped both his younger brothers upside the head and scowled, not happy with their decision but secretly, he probably would have done the same. They had both been given an opportunity to stir up the Templars and had taken those opportunities without hesitation, making sure that the Templars knew they were being watched and at any moment, one of them could disappear forever.  
'Sometimes I wonder how you two have survived this long.' Connor sighed, tugging the pair in close for a moment. 'But then I realise that you two enjoy the challenge.'  
'I know that look. What are you planning, Ratonhnhaké:ton?' Lorenzo grinned, catching the familiar glint in Connor's gaze.  
'I think it is time we reminded Lee about our promise. Renzo, you are the better hunter. While Vanni and I are busy at the wharf, I want you to find Lee, sneak up on him and take something from him. Nothing too big, but preferably something of value to Lee personally.' Connor directed, clapping him on the shoulder. 'Go now and do not be seen.'  
'I will make you proud of me, Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Lorenzo nodded, slipping away from the group and disappearing from sight.  
'I already am, Lorenzo.' Connor uttered, turning his focus back to Giovanni. 'Come on, little brother. We have much to do. Next time, you can be the one to fetch a trophy from Lee.'  
'Of course, Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Giovanni grinned, willing to put aside his chase for Lee to help Connor with the main mission.

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Hearing the signal from Connor, Giovanni glanced at Stephane and winked before taking off full sprint, his hidden blade and dagger already secure in his hands. Bounding up onto a pile of crates and other supplies, he let Stephane get the first kill out of the five redcoats standing guard on the wharf, the sudden appearance of the angry chef had the guards distracted so it was much easier for Giovanni to sneak closer.

Launching from his position on top of the supply pile, Giovanni crashed down on two of the redcoats, blades slicing deep into their necks as a third toppled backwards and fell into the water. Pulling his blades free and getting to his feet, Giovanni picked up a musket and approached the edge of the dock, looking down for the one that had fallen over the edge. With Connor and Stephane watching his back, Giovanni followed the struggling man in the water and thrust the musket down with all his strength, plunging the attached bayonet deep into his neck.

Letting the body sink, Giovanni turned and hurried back to Connor's side, flicking the blood off his hands as they hurried up the gangplank and across the deck. Leaping the gap, the brothers landed safely on the second ship in the row. Hurrying across the deck again, Connor took the lead, sprinting down the plank to take on the two redcoats guarding it as Giovanni climbed up into the rigging and launched out over the gap to crash down on the two men guarding the second plank on this ship.

Spinning clear of his first victims, Giovanni lashed out at a third man and pulled him close, hiding behind him as a firing squad tried to kill him. Sheathing his dagger on the fly and pulling his tomahawk instead, Giovanni crossed his feet and turned, catching a bayonet aimed at his back with the open styled head of his tomahawk. Wrenching it around and disengaging from the musket, he lashed out and slit the throat of his current threat before charging the firing squad still reloading their muskets.

Embroiled in his own fight, Connor caught a glimpse of Giovanni as they both engaged the firing squads trying to fill them with lead and smirked, pleased with how far Giovanni had progressed in his training. Using his tomahawk to hook the neck of a redcoat, Giovanni pulled him close and slit his throat in one smooth action before kicking him aside and engaging another. Twisting clear of his own threats, Connor tried the same move and was a little stunned by just how comfortable it felt to kill a man in such a way.

Breaking bones and spilling British blood across the stones of the wharf, Giovanni and Connor ended up back to back, watching the last three of the guards approaching. The redcoats were wary, having witnessed twelve of their own men cut down so easily by just these two men. Smashing the knee of one guard, Giovanni moved out of the way as he fell and Connor turned to confront the man, finishing him off with a neat blow to the head as Giovanni pushed their advantage against the two remaining redcoats.

With one last heavy, wet thud from Connor's tomahawk, the job was done. Fifteen redcoats were dead on the stones and the Assassin brothers had come through it with just a few very minor cuts and grazes. Moving away from the bodies they had left behind, the brothers took a few moments to clean their weapons before moving back through the highly agitated crowd, listening to their chants against the British.

Returning to their prearranged meeting spot, Giovanni kept watch as Connor whistled for the others to emerge, scanning the ever growing crowd standing on the wharf. It was becoming very obvious that the people of the colonies just needed one spark, one little conflict and they would be glad to rise up and throw aside the British.  
'How do you suppose Renzo is doing?' Giovanni asked, ignoring the men that had appeared from the crowd to join them.  
'I have no doubt he will bring back something from Lee. It is just a matter of if he will be harmed in the process.' Connor replied, resting one hand on Giovanni's shoulder. 'Come, we should get this done before the British send heavy reinforcements.'

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Listening to the chaos his brothers were causing, Lorenzo climbed out of the harbour and slipped around a pile of crates, his target clear and a plan in mind. Sneaking closer, crouching down and staying silent, he inched closer to his target, grateful that his brothers were keeping them distracted from the real threat. This was where Lorenzo's plan would either succeed brilliantly or end with him dying like a dog in the street. He had to get Lee away from Pitcairn and Johnson without any of them sounding the alarm.

Spotting his chance, Lorenzo made his move, grabbing Lee around the throat and covering his mouth before starting to pull him back away from the other two men. As he moved, Lorenzo whispered warnings of what would happen if Lee resisted, doing everything he could to ensure this was a seamless assault. Johnson and Pitcairn were completely focused on Connor and Giovanni, they hadn't even noticed that Lee was missing.

Shoving Lee up against a post, Lorenzo flipped out his hidden dagger and pressed it firmly to Lee's throat, digging the tip in harder when Lee struggled against him. He might have been young and lacking in strength compared to Lee but Lorenzo had his own ways to subdue any man, regardless of their skills and abilities. Reaching up, he guided Lee's hands up onto the post and pressed them hard against the rough timber, the warning blatantly clear.  
'Hush now, sweet one. Do exactly as I say and you can return to your friends without a scratch. Resist me…well I doubt you will like the consequences.' Lorenzo hissed, keeping the knife in place and daring to let his left hand slip under Lee's jacket and stroke his side. 'It has been many months since I last got to play with a virgin, I doubt a man of your pride would ever allow a sodomist to touch him.'  
'What do you want?' Lee stammered, trembling and gripping the post, not daring to look over his shoulder at his attacker.  
'I should think that obvious, precious.' Lorenzo chuckled, his voice so dark and threatening. 'Shh, don't make a sound. I can easily leave you bedridden for the rest of your miserable life, forced to sit in your own body fluids.'  
'No, please…I can be of use.' Charles whispered, fear getting a strong hold of him now. 'I can tell you so many secrets.'  
'I have no use of secrets, only silence.' Lorenzo snarled, curling his fingers in Lee's hair. 'Now be silent and you may get out of this alive and intact.'

Relaxing his grip a little when Lee nodded frantically, Lorenzo slid his hand from his hair and down his throat, prodding at his pulse point firmly. Lee was thankfully silent but he did keep twitching away from Lorenzo's exploring hand. As much as he was enjoying this chance to toy with Lee, Lorenzo knew he had to get out of here before Pitcairn and Johnson realised that Lee was missing and they would come searching.  
'Here is what you are going to do, beautiful. Very slowly, you will lower your hands from the post. Make no sudden movements. Do not reach for any weapons. Take off your coat. You will stay silent and keep your eyes locked on that post, do you understand?' Lorenzo growled, having changed his mind about his prize.

Nodding shakily, Lee eased his hands off the post and lowered them slowly, the knife at his throat slipping away but it reappeared at the back of his neck and slipped back around as he lowered his hands. His mind was screaming for him to resist this man, to fight back against what was happening but he didn't dare move. There was no telling what this madman would do to him.  
'Good boy, you are being such a good boy.' his tormentor practically purred, stroking at his hair again. 'See, nothing bad happens if you do as you are told.'  
'Yes sir.' Lee whispered, shaken to the core that he had been caught out so easily.  
'Good boy. Now kneel, it will make this easier for you I think.' that dark voice was so full of threats and warnings, making it abundantly clear what would happen if he resisted. 'The better you behave, the more likely you are to survive.'

Smirking at the sight of Lee on his knees at his feet, shivering as he did as he was bade, Lorenzo shifted his weight and placed one foot on Lee's right ankle, warning him what would happen if Lee resisted his control. There was another shudder from his captive but he made no sound as he finally pulled his jacket off and let it fall.  
'Up you get.' Lorenzo ordered, removing his foot and getting his dagger back to Lee's throat. 'Hands back on the post.'  
'Yes sir.' Lee uttered, no longer offered even a token resistance to this. 'Please do not do this, sir.'  
'I will do as I please, dearest. Do not forget that.' Lorenzo warned, crowding Lee up against the post again. 'Tonight, you have earned your peace. Next time you might not be so lucky.'  
'Thank you sir.' Lee choked, his shaking getting worse as he stood there.  
'Now, you stay exactly as you are right now. Do not move or look away from that post for ten minutes. At that time, you may leave.' Lorenzo instructed, stepping back and withdrawing his dagger from Lee's neck.

Stooping to pick up the discarded jacket, Lorenzo pulled it around his slighter frame and ran off, disappearing into the crowded streets and leaving Lee huddled against the pillar. Lorenzo had no doubt in his mind that one day he would get another chance to torment Lee and force his submission, he just hoped it would not be for quite a while. Lorenzo wasn't one who enjoyed seeing others kneel at his feet, even though he knew he had a gift for it.

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With all their classes to prepare them to one day take command of Monteriggioni, Giovanni and Lorenzo rarely had enough time to train in what they were learning from their dreams with Connor. They squeezed in what they could during the week, altering their free running courses to take them into the trees and delving into the archives to learn more about the people in their dreams, both Assassins and Templars and all the others they might face along their journey.

Weekends they devoted to working with the Aquila replica, becalming more and more comfortable with the rigging and sails as they responded to the push of the hydraulics installed under the ship to mimic the conditions they would see on the water. Sometimes their siblings would want to play as well, tired of watching the eldest two bound around so easily. Emily and Mario gave their blessings for the younger ones to learn as well and even sometimes joined their children on the moving deck.

The evenings were their favourite times though, not just because they knew soon they would see another piece of their adventure with Connor but also because they could sit in the privacy of their room and speak the language they had come to feel so comfortable with using. Emily had caught them using this native tongue once and had grinned and told them to keep the Kanien'kehá:ka language to themselves, lest they be stuck trying to teach their younger siblings without knowing how they learned it.

There is still so much of this that they do not understand, so much still to learn and the archives provide few answers. If this was an adventure that was supposed to teach them how to be Assassins and be worthy of the title they would one day share, there was still so much more for them to understand. There were things that they wanted to tell Connor about, even without knowing for certain if it would change things for the better or worse.

Tonight though, their conversation strayed into territory that neither was quite ready to face. It had all come about quite innocently as they discussed their previous dreams and wondered what might be ahead for them. It wasn't like they didn't know these sorts of things about each other, but this was the first time they'd ever actually discussed it.  
'Vanni, would you think it weird if I told you I had a major crush on an older man?' Lorenzo asked, gazing up at the ceiling as he spoke.  
'Fratellino, I already knew you were a little different. So long as it's not a member of the extended family though, that's just nasty.' Giovanni shrugged, looking up from his latest research into their ancestors and all the twists of history they had been a part of.  
'No, he's not part of the extended family.' Lorenzo sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'I might not have much luck dating but I ain't that desperate.'  
'Are you going to tell me who or are you planning to keep me guessing?' Giovanni asked, closing his research folder and putting it aside.  
'I don't know if I should say it…I mean, it's embarrassing as fuck and I really don't know why this has suddenly come up on me out of nowhere.' Lorenzo groaned, burying his face in his pillow.

Realising that this was something Lorenzo was truly worried about, Giovanni left his bed and padded over to curl up beside him, coaxing Lorenzo to roll over so they could curl up close like they always did when one was upset.  
'Of all the men throughout history…why did it have to be him?' Lorenzo muttered, relaxing into the comforting warmth of his brother. 'Of all the people our family has worked with and fought against, why him?'  
'Who is it, Renzo? I can't offer you any help if you won't tell me who you're so worked up about.' Giovanni coaxed, hating to see his beloved brother so upset. 'Talk to me, tell my why you're so upset about this. You know I won't judge, I only want to see you happy.'  
'I know Vanni but this is different. This is not some random person we've met in the streets…it would be easier if it was some random guy like that.' Lorenzo sighed, tangling their fingers together. 'You have to promise me that you won't tell madre or anyone else about this.'  
'You have my word, brother. This stays between us, regardless of what you say.' Giovanni promised, determined that his beloved twin would never have a reason to doubt him. 'It's okay, you know I can keep your secrets.'

Nodding slowly, Lorenzo shifted a little in their shared embrace so he could look up at his elder brother. There would be no turning back from this moment, once he admitted to this he couldn't just laugh it off. It would be out there and he could only hope Vanni would keep his promise. This stupid crush was making it hard to focus in the dream realm, Renzo hoped that talking about it might get it out of the way so he could fully focus on what he had to learn.  
'It's Charles Lee…I can't explain it, I just…' he sighed, tensing up in Giovanni's embrace.  
'Lee? That's not what I was expecting you to say.' Giovanni remarked, tracing calming patterns through Lorenzo's hair. 'I can't say I see the appeal.'  
'I'm still trying to understand that too, but when my dream-self had him pinned up against that post and I was whispering filthy things in his ear…I cannot find it in my heart to object to holding him in such a way.' Lorenzo shrugged, relaxing a little more now that he knew Giovanni wasn't completely against this desire. 'I do not like the brutality I needed to restrain him but being able to hold such a powerful man is certainly…alluring.'  
'Whoa, too much detail Renzo.' Giovanni warned, slapping him in the stomach sharply. 'If you want to try and snag him, so be it but I would rather we keep our dreams focused on training.'  
'You did not pick up on anything I was doing with him last night, did you?' Lorenzo asked, relaxing back into their familiar embrace.  
'No, I was busy with the tea crates.' Giovanni replied, enjoying the peace of their time together without the pressures of their lives. 'So when we split up, the dreams diverge. This is good.'  
'Yeah, that's one less thing to worry about.' Lorenzo agreed, shifting a little. 'Sleep well, fratello.'  
'You as well, fratello.' Giovanni yawned, burrowing in closer and closing his eyes.


	4. Continuing Lessons

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Continued lessons  
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Their spirits lifted by their easy defeat of William Johnson two months previous, leaving his bloodied corpse on the doorstep of his homestead not too far from their village, the brothers tried not to think of the slaughter they had witnessed in the last few weeks at Lexington and Concord. They had to keep focus on their victories against the Templars, not be weighed down by the horrors they were witnessing in these battles. Loyalists and Patriots left dying or dead in the grass, their blood staining the ground on both sides; there was no logic to any of it and all three felt sick because of the mindless slaughter.

Now though, their focus was in Philadelphia, the three of them sitting beside Sam Adams and listening to some new Patriot leader rambling on in thanks for his appointment to lead the Patriot Army in this war. Honestly, the brothers couldn't give a damn who was leading this infernal war, they wanted little part of the bloody conflict but to reach their goals, they had to play along with these Patriots.  
'Truly, there is no man better suited to the task.' Sam remarked, leaning closer to the trio.  
'Really? I can think of several.' a familiar voice came from behind them, reminding the brothers what they were truly fighting for.  
'Charles Lee.' Connor snarled, pushing to his feet and turning to face the older man.  
'Do I know you?' Lee asked, remaining seated as the trio approached him.  
'I would not expect you to remember.' Connor retorted, eyes narrow and hard as he glared at Lee.  
'Come you three - there's someone I want you to meet.' Sam tried, grabbing Connor and struggling to usher the three men away from Charles. 'Sorry to pull you away like that, but the last thing we need is the four of you coming to blows.'  
'Throwing punches was the last thing on my mind.' Lorenzo replied, brushing Sam's hand off his shoulder. 'I have other business to attend to in the area. I will catch up with you two when I can.'  
'Be safe, brother.' Giovanni nodded, giving Connor a look that clearly told him not to ask.

Allowing Sam to usher them towards the speaker, Giovanni shook his head faintly when Connor demanded answers with just a look. It was none too surprising that Connor wanted to know what other business Lorenzo had in the city but right now, Lorenzo's behaviour was the least of their concerns. They had to make nice with this new leader and keep an eye on what Lee was up to.  
'Connor, Giovanni, allow me to introduce you to our newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, George Washington.' Sam offered, nudging the pair closer to the older man.  
'Ah! So you're the ones who saved Sam and John at Lexington.' Washington remarked, resting one hand on Sam's shoulder.  
'We're two of the three, but it was the Patriots who did that. We merely lent support.' Giovanni shrugged, a little surprised that Connor refused to meet Washington's gaze.  
'As humble as they are brave. We could use more men like you.' Washington chuckled, extending his hand to Connor. 'I'm sorry, but if you'll excuse me - I should attend to Charles over there. He looks none too happy about being passed over for command. It was good to meet you both.'

Lip curling into a sneer once Washington had walked away, Giovanni shook his head and glanced up at Connor, making his thoughts on the subject perfectly clear. Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Connor quietly agreed with Giovanni's thoughts on Washington but there was little they could do about it now.  
'Tell me you have news of Pitcairn.' Connor sighed, stepping closer to Sam so they weren't overheard by anyone else.  
'I'm told he's taken shelter in Boston, where he's guarded by 1000 redcoats. The only way you're going to get at him, is if we draw him out. Lucky for you, we're launching an offensive against the city to do just that.' Sam explained, unconcerned about who else might be listening. 'Israel Putnam had been given command of our forces. Present this to him and he'll provide whatever aid you require. You'll find him at the encampment on Bunker Hill.'  
'You have our thanks.' Connor replied, accepting the folded letter Sam was holding out.  
'No need. It's the least I could do. Pitcairn's a dangerous man. The sooner we're rid of him, the better.' Sam nodded, a fond smile crossing his lips.  
'I would say the same of Charles Lee.' Connor remarked, gaze swinging to the older man still talking with Washington.  
'Now that's an altogether different beast. Let us leave it for another day. Best you head to Boston.' Sam warned, wary of letting Connor anywhere near Lee. 'And find your wayward brother as well.'  
'Leave Lorenzo to his business, he'll get it done and catch up with us. We'll leave him a message so he knows where to go but other than that, I suggest you leave him in peace.' Giovanni replied, clapping Connor on the shoulder. 'I know you'd rather fight Lee here but trust me, leave him be for the moment.'

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One last look to make sure no one was watching, Lorenzo lunged from his hiding place and grabbed Lee firmly, dragging him backwards along a short alleyway before entering a small yard and tossing Charles to the ground. Growling low in his throat when Lee dared to try and rise, Lorenzo planted one foot in his back and shoved him down, not completely grinding his face in the mud but it was close.  
'Thought you had slipped my attention, did you pet?' Lorenzo asked, sinking down to plant his knee between Lee's shoulders. 'You will never escape my attention, dearest.'  
'No sir, I was not trying to hide.' Lee choked, shivering under Lorenzo's touch. 'I would never try to hide from you, sir.'  
'You liar, you are terrified of what I might do to you.' Lorenzo scoffed, shifting to sit on Lee's back and stroke over his broad shoulders. 'I have conquered many men in my life but you…your fear is so much stronger than any of them.'  
'Please sir…please don't do this.' Lee pleaded, trying to wriggle out from under Lorenzo but he was trapped. 'Please sir, please not again. I have not spoken of what happened last time, please do not hurt me again.'

Eyebrows rising at what he was hearing, Lorenzo froze and looked down at Charles in a new light, recognising that someone else had hurt him in the past. Someone else had thrown him around and tormented him, taking what they wanted from him and leaving him bleeding in the dirt. No wonder he was so easily controlled, he was terrified of being abused like that again.

Feeling like he'd just been punched in the gut, Lorenzo slipped off Lee's back and shifted to sit beside him, guiding Lee to roll onto his side. It hurt to watch Lee curl up in the mud, shamed tears glistening in the dim light of this dirty and abandoned animal yard. If only he had known, Lorenzo would never have pushed like this, he would have found another way to deal with Lee. Instead he had turned into a nightmare for the man he carried such affection for.  
'I am not the first to do this, am I?' Lorenzo asked, cursing mentally when Lee flinched away from the gentle touch in his hair. 'Tell me the truth, Charles.'  
'No sir, you are not.' Charles admitted, huddling in on himself as tight as he could. 'I was just a Private in the Army…one of the Sergeants attacked me several times…I never spoke up against him…no one would believe me anyway.'  
'I believe you, Charles.' Lorenzo sighed, trying everything he could to calm Lee again. 'Shh, just relax and breathe. Nice deep breaths, I will not push you again.'  
'But sir…' Lee questioned, still tense under Lorenzo's hand but he was calming slowly.

Shifting closer, Lorenzo gently curled one hand under Charles' head and lifted a little, allowing the older man to use his thigh as a pillow. They were from totally different sides of this war, Templar and Assassin; British born and native raised; veteran soldier and forest hunter. Lorenzo hoped that maybe they had a chance but he doubted he would ever get a third chance to speak with Lee in relative privacy.  
'I have been a fool. I thought you were a man who would be impressed by the strength and skills of those around him. Instead I pushed you into a memory that clearly still causes a lot of pain.' Lorenzo sighed, fingers idly trailing through Lee's hair. 'I had hoped that you might notice me but instead I made a mess of things.'  
'I do not understand.' Lee remarked, shifting a little but he still didn't look at his companion.  
'How can you expect to understand if you will not look at me, Charles?' Lorenzo coaxed, brushing back his hood and waiting for Charles to make his move.

Wary of what he might find, Charles eased over onto his back and blinked in shock as he gazed up at the young man who had caused such torment. He looked so young, dark brown hair pulled back but a few stray locks dangled in front of soulful brown eyes. A feather visible behind his right ear and a short braid brushing his left cheek, a blue bead secured to the end. A bow over his shoulder, quiver beside it and a tomahawk through his belt, it was clear that this was one of the native men he'd seen in Boston but his skin seemed far too pale to be a full blood native man.

Reaching up slowly, still not exactly sure what to make of this young man who had caught him off guard twice and somehow burrowed through his armour to find out the truth of him, Charles lightly brushed his cheek and smiled faintly when the younger man didn't flinch away.  
'Who are you, boy?' he asked, lowering his hand again.  
'I am Lorenzo Davenport. I am not surprised you do not remember me, it has been many years since our first meeting.' Lorenzo replied, resting his elbows on his knees and gazing down at Charles. 'I was just a little boy when you came to my home.'  
'You…you are the one who sliced me open?' Charles growled, eyes hardening instantly.  
'Only after you threatened my brother.' Lorenzo shrugged, shifting his hands to put pressure on Charles' shoulders. 'And my twin was there too. We both spilled your blood then, but he also caught Hickey out.'  
'And now you are here before me again.' Lee remarked, a faint smirk crossing his face.  
'That was twenty years ago, leave it in the past. Besides, I could have killed you four times already and yet you still live.' Lorenzo smirked, shifting his hands a little. 'Make that five times already.'  
'So why have you not? Surely your Assassin brothers would celebrate my death.' Lee asked, his voice dripping with scorn.  
'I did not come looking for you as an Assassin. I did not come after you as a Kanien'kehá:ka brave either.' Lorenzo admitted, letting his thumb trace down Lee's neck. 'Surely you can figure it out.'  
'Stop playing games, boy.' Lee growled, uncertain about the thumb drifting over his skin.  
'Make up your mind then. You panic when I show clear interest in you and you flinch when I try and coax you closer with a gentle hand.' Lorenzo returned, shifting to lean back on his hands and leave Lee to consider his words.

Thinking over what Lorenzo had said and his memories of that night on the wharf, Charles' face paled as he realised what he was suggesting. This young man, barely more than a boy, had the daring to not only drag out his darkest secrets but then suggest that this confusion wasn't his fault. The gentle touches had shaken him to the core, he was unused to such a soft touch from another man and wasn't sure how to react.

Sitting up slowly and mentally cursing the groan that slipped out as his back cracked in protest, Charles turned and looked at Lorenzo again, trying to understand why this young man would even consider asking such a thing of him. Lorenzo was a truly handsome young man, all lithe strength and power. Why he would show any interest in Charles' scared and worn hide was beyond him.  
'I need time to think about your offer, Lorenzo. No doubt you will find me again in a month or so.' Charles sighed, refusing to think about the most obvious reason not to do this.  
'I will try not to stir up any more bad memories next time.' Lorenzo nodded, getting to his feet and offering his hand in friendship. 'I think we made progress at least, when was a last time an Assassin and a Templar simply sat and talked?'  
'Too long ago.' Charles allowed, accepting Lorenzo's help to regain his feet. 'Just be careful, the others will not be so kind to you.'  
'Likewise, Charles.' Lorenzo nodded, reaching out to neaten his jacket. 'I still have your other jacket if you want me to leave it somewhere for you.'  
'You keep it for now. Perhaps one day I will get it back.' Charles shrugged, tugging Lorenzo's hood up again and watching the change from innocent young man to deadly young Assassin. 'Good day, Lorenzo. Until next time.'  
'Good day to you, Charles.' Lorenzo replied, dipping his head for a moment before leaving the scene and bounding effortlessly up onto the buildings.

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Arriving at the Patriot camp on Breed's Hill, Giovanni and Connor followed the pointing finger of their guide and picked their way across the muddy mire of this battlefield upon the hills near Boston. The men around them were clearly disheartened by the sounds of their superior officers arguing about the location of their camp and the risks their location posed to the men.  
'I don't much care for your excuses, gentlemen. We should be building on Bunker Hill. Breed's is closer to the city, but it is also closer to their artillery!'  
'Our orders came from men so divorced from the situation, we are compelled by reason to employ our own faculties to make a proper determination.'  
'Were that I could understand even half that nonsense you just uttered…'  
'What's not to understand? I'm trying to ensure our victory!'  
'What would you know about victory? I killed a she-wolf in her den armed with only a knife. I escaped the Caughnawaga Indians, who sought to burn me alive. And I was the sole survivor of a shipwreck during the Battle of Havana. So you will excuse me if I chose not to follow your advice.'

Hearing that startling familiar sound of cannonballs whizzing towards them, Giovanni grabbed Connor by the sleeve and dropped to the ground, covering his head as several cannonballs tore into the men around them. The screams of the wounded and dying filled the air, sending a chill through the brothers as they slowly sat up again.

Not three meters from them, a young Patriot was screaming in agony, writing on the ground as he bled out. Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, Giovanni lurched forward and grabbed the man, one hand reaching to unbuckle his belt as he used his left hand to try and calm the man.  
'Connor! I do not care how, I need a fire now!' Giovanni snapped, wrenching the worn leather free and twisting it in his hand. 'We have to seal this wound before this man bleeds out!'  
'We do not…'  
'Do not argue Connor! Find me something to seal this wound!' Giovanni roared, refusing to abandon the wounded if there was anything they could do. 'Shhh, you are in good hands now friend. I can help you, but you must be still.'  
'thank you, thank you.' the wounded man panted, letting out another cry of pain as Giovanni twisted his belt into a hasty tourniquet and pulled it as tight as he could.  
'Come on Connor! Move it!' Giovanni called, looking around as another wave of cannon fire tore into their camp from the harbour.  
'Will this work, boy?' a deep voice asked, pulling Giovanni's attention away from the wounded man.

A tall, heavily built man was standing beside him, a burning branch in one hand and a bundle of dry sticks in the other arm. Nodding sharply, Giovanni pointed to a reasonably dry spot beside him and turned back to the wounded man, peeling his bloodstained breeches out of the wound and scraping out any other debris he could see.  
'You two, help me hold him down! This will hurt him but it must be done.' he ordered, pointing to two men standing nearby and watching the scene. 'Hold him as still as you can, I cannot risk a mistake whilst doing this.'  
'General Putnam…Sir.' the wounded man uttered, struggling under the hands of his comrades as the tall, well dressed man crouched opposite Giovanni and restrained his remaining leg.  
'My brother will need to speak with you, General Putnam.' Giovanni nodded, glancing at the older man for a moment as he spun out his hidden dagger.  
'We treat this man first, then I will speak with your brother.' Israel replied, watching what Giovanni was doing with great interest.

Thrusting his blade into the roaring fire that had been set up, Giovanni heated the blade red hot, ignoring the pricking heat against his palm and trusting his gloves to protect him. Once he was satisfied with the temperature reached, he pulled the blade back and pressed it firmly to the severed limb, slipping a little on the spilled blood but he was able to get back into position.  
'I could not…anything else you require, Vanni?' Connor sighed, feeding a few more branches into the fire already burning.  
'No, I've got this under control but this is General Putnam, no doubt he has something for you.' Giovanni replied, thrusting his blade back into the fire. 'You are doing fine, just hold on a little longer, friend.'  
'We are looking for John Pitcairn. We were told you would be able to help us find him.' Connor explained, crouching beside Giovanni and helping to restrain the man.  
'He's tucked away inside the city with no reason to leave. So long as that ship continues its assault, we'll never flush him out.' Putnam briefed, flipping his chin towards the harbour.  
'But if the ship was silenced…' Connor nodded, looking out towards the harbour briefly.  
'Then poor John might be forced to get off his arse and come forward!' Putnam replied, adjusting his grip on the wounded man. 'It's alright son, nearly finished.'  
'I shall fly that flag to signal my success.' Connor guided, indicated a muddied flag just behind him.  
'And I shall speak fondly of you at your funeral.' Putnam responded, most of his focus still on the wounded man among them.

Flipping his blade away, Giovanni reached into his pack for the bundle of clear bandages he always carried and firmly bound the now sealed stump of this lucky survivor. His chances of survival were greatly improved now that he had been seen to and the bleeding stopped but there was still a risk of other problems leading to his death.  
'You two, take him to the nearest field station. Tell the doctor that the blood vessels have been sealed but there is still debris in the wound.' Giovanni instructed, gaze flicking to the two young men he'd called over to assist.  
'Of course.' one nodded, the pair working to lift the wounded man and carry him back to safety.  
'Come on Vanni, we have to silence that ship out there.' Connor sighed, picking up the flag he'd spoken of moments ago.  
'You do not need me out there, Ratonhnhaké:ton. These men need me, I can help them so they can in turn help us.' Giovanni replied, ducking another salvo from the warships. 'Go! You hate to see this suffering so put an end to it!'  
'Be careful, little brother.' Connor uttered, their native tongue so comforting to them both.  
'You as well.' Giovanni nodded, smiling fondly at Connor for a moment before turning and running into the chaos of the battlefield.

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Finally catching up with his brothers, Lorenzo scanned the battlefield and found where Giovanni was crouched over another man, calmly binding his vicious wounds and speaking softly to calm the older man. Recognising that Giovanni had that casualty in hand, Lorenzo dismounted and plunged into the chaos, letting the smells and sounds of the battle wash over him. Training kicked in hard and he didn't think about the danger around him, his sole responsibility was to help the men and make sure as many survived as possible.

Looking up from the casualty he was tending, Giovanni spotted Lorenzo in the mess and nodded, relieved that his younger twin had finally arrived on station. Now they just had to wait for Connor to get back so they could plan the next phase of this attempt to slaughter John Pitcairn. Wiping the blood and mud from his face, Giovanni stood and moved on to the next casualty on his list, grateful to those who followed him with fresh supplies for him to treat the wounded.

Crossing paths among the wounded, Giovanni had a few minutes to brief Lorenzo on the situation before they were called in different directions again. He kept it short and simple, explaining where Connor had gone, where the redcoats were and who exactly was in charge.  
'The enemy advances and you tremble. They've better numbers, you say. Better weapons. Better training. But I do not fear, and neither should you.' Putnam called, gathering the able-bodied men to him. 'For what they have in material, they lack in conviction and care.'  
'Hmm, he's not what I expected.' Lorenzo remarked, stretching his back quickly. 'Oh, Connor has finally returned.'  
'Come on, let's go see what his next crazy idea is.' Giovanni grinned, looking back at the wounded they had tried to help. 'At least we managed to save a few more of these men.'  
'I fear it will never be enough.' Lorenzo sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'Maybe if I had not stayed in Philadelphia, we could have done more.'

Weaving through the crowd of men gathered around Putnam, the twins stopped beside Connor and relaxed, listening to the mutters of the men who had seen their actions. The twins might not have been able to get to all of the wounded or even save all of the men they had tended to but their efforts were certainly appreciated by all who had seen them trying so hard.  
'But not us. We have discipline. We have order. And most importantly, we have passion. We believe! So maintain vigilance. Conserve your ammo. Ensure a proper line of sight. And above all else, men: do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes.' Putnam continued, glancing at the three brothers and nodding faintly.  
'Are you harmed, Ratonhnhaké:ton?' Lorenzo asked, noting the smoky odour that clung to his clothes and skin.  
'A little singed and a few more bruises, do not worry.' Connor shrugged, slinging his arms around their shoulders. 'I was starting to think you would miss the action, Renzo.'  
'My business in Philadelphia was not that important. I was on the road only a couple of hours after you.' Lorenzo chuckled, allowing Connor to guide them over to where Putnam was sitting.  
'Well I'll be damned. You did it.' Putnam remarked, looking up at the brothers.  
'That was quite a speech.' Giovanni remarked, brushing his hood back and scratching at his hair.  
'Lies, all of it, I'm afraid.' Putnam replied, getting to his feet slowly. 'Still, such words have carried us thus far…'  
'And what of Pitcairn?' Connor asked, dropping his arms from his brothers and listening to the growing sounds of battle.  
'He's left Boston as I said he would, and set up camp on Moulton Hill.' Putnam briefed, leading the trio over to the wooden defences atop their hill.

Accepting the spyglass Putnam held out, Connor raised it and focused on the distant hill, just able to spot Pitcairn on horseback among his troops. Lowering the spyglass, he frowned and handed it to Giovanni so he could make his own choice on the battle.  
'There's no good way to get at him - not with that maelstrom brewing below. I suppose you could circle around a bit, or wait for us to thin their ranks.' Putnam offered, clearly not pleased with the battle he was facing out here.  
'I count at least twelve ranks, completely blocking the path through to Pitcairn.' Giovanni sighed, lowering the spyglass and shaking his head. 'They're lightly armed and carrying minimal gear, we might be able to cut a path but the risks are higher.'  
'There is no time to waste. I will have to chance a direct approach.' Connor decided, turning to his younger brothers. 'Can I trust you two to keep the Loyalists distracted so I can slip past them?'  
'Of course. I can see a nice path that should get us a lot of attention and open up the left flank for you.' Lorenzo nodded, scanning the enemy lines.  
'That's twice today you've proposed the impossible!' Putnam remarked, stunned by the bold approach the three brothers were discussing.  
'I see no other choice.' Connor retorted, worried for his younger brothers but refusing to show it.  
'That's cos you're as mad as march hares, son.' Putnam shrugged, sucking on his cigar again.  
'I expect an apology when we return.' Connor warned, clapping his brothers on the shoulder before running away to the left of the battlefield.

Tomahawks and hidden daggers to hand, the younger pair gave Connor a few moments to get into a new position before they charged the battlements. Launching over the timber barriers, they almost appeared to fly for a few seconds before thudding to the mud and sliding down the front of the hill. Catching the redcoats completely off guard, the brothers charged the front lines of the enemy camp, ducking and twisting through the Loyalists and showing no mercy for any who got in their way.

Standing on the hilltop, watching the twins tearing through the British lines, Israel Putnam could hardly believe what he was seeing. They had seemed like such gentle souls, working hard to save the wounded of this ugly fight but down below, they were carving swathes through the enemy lines. Sweeping through the Loyalist lines, daggers and tomahawks flashing in the sunlight, the twins were devastating in their attacks, slashing their way through the lines of redcoats.

Ducking under a thrusting musket, Lorenzo flipped his tomahawk over in his hand and cracked the skull of the redcoat trying to gut him. Spinning clear, he rammed his dagger into the stomach of another man and wrenched it up, spilling his intestines to the ground. Beside him, Giovanni used a wounded man as a shield against a British firing line then tossed the body aside and leapt forward, slitting two throats with one sweeping motion. Landing on a dying man, he dropped under another musket and shot right, getting around behind his latest attacker and ramming his tomahawk into his back. Slamming his tomahawk into the exposed neck of another man, Lorenzo wrenched it clear and spun again, taking shelter behind a tree to avoid a volley of musket fire that would surely have ended him. Ducking and rolling to the left, Giovanni slipped out from between two attackers and allowed himself a brief grin as he watched them spear each other in their attempt to slaughter him and end this threat to the British lines.

Aware that the British men up on Moulton Hill had artillery, the brothers split up and kept moving erratically through the enemy lines, making it extremely hard for the cannoneers to take a shot at the pair doing such damage to the British lines. Darting to the left, Lorenzo slogged through the denser lines to the rear of the fighting, his robes heavily saturated with blood but until he got the signal from Connor, he would continue to keep the British occupied and away from his brother.

Out on the right of their selected battleground within the main field, Giovanni ripped his tomahawk out of the collar of one man and leapt, using his dying body to vault up and tear through the throat of another. Releasing his dagger to slip back into his bracer, he grabbed another musket barrel and kicked off the ground, flipping over it and using his tomahawk to sever the throat of his latest victim. Landing lightly, he pushed his attack deeper into British lines, shooting one man point blank in the chest and holstering his pistol again.

Hearing the whistle from above, the brothers broke off their attacks and retreated, switching from slaughtering every man in range to simply killing those that got in their way. They gave up their flair and style for clean kills and their best speed. Connor had called and they had to get into the next position he would need them. Slogging back through the British lines, they scrambled back into the Loyalist lines and over the barriers, dropping into the mud safe behind the barricades and out of the direct danger.

Making it back to the Loyalist camp, Connor first went looking for his brothers and showed them the letter he had taken from Pitcairn's dead body. Reading over it quickly, they both paled and swallowed, horrified by what it might mean if this plan succeeded. Tucking the letter back out of sight, Connor tucked his brothers' close and headed out in search of Putnam.

They found him at his command post, doing his block at a Loyalist soldier that had supposedly snuck up on him. His rant told the brothers a lot more about the latest situation on the hill than Putnam likely ever would have normally shared. A full retreat from the hill would weaken the Loyalist position but it would surely keep more men alive.  
'General Putnam.' Connor called, stepping up onto the solid platform that served as Putnam's command post.  
'You live!' Putnam remarked, hiding his surprise well.  
'The same cannot be said for Pitcairn.' Connor nodded, looking down at his brothers.  
'Well done, I suppose. But it matters little now. I'm ordering a full retreat. We have lost too many in exchange for too little. If the Torries want this hill so badly, let them have it. Boston is the true prize.' Putnam explained, turning to face the war torn city off in the distance.  
'We have a bigger problem.' Connor shrugged, handing the letter he'd stolen to Israel.  
'What do you mean?' he asked, taking the folded page. 'This can't be right. It says they plan to murder Washington!'  
'Then we'd best be in a position to stop that assassination attempt.' Giovanni shrugged, looking out towards Boston. 'This is going to be rough.'


	5. Feeling The Rope

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Feeling the rope  
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Getting a dark feeling that something was going to happen here in New York, something beyond this threat to Washington and the Templar plots that seemed to be growing thicker the deeper they dug, Connor made the choice to split away from his brothers to cover more of the city and keep them from all being caught if something went wrong. Lorenzo was sent out to watch for Templar threats and track any movements of Haytham or Charles in the city. Giovanni was assigned to watch over the Patriots in the city and track any potential problems he discovered.

Connor on the other hand, well he had a much more challenging mission. He'd been led my Benjamin Tallmadge to a contact of Thomas Hickey and a counterfeiting ring that he was running in the city. Now he was busy tailing the counterfeiter back to Hickey in hopes of knocking him off before he could put his plans to assassinate Washington into action.

Slinking through back alleys and overgrown gardens, Connor had no idea where his brothers were but he was fairly sure they wouldn't be around to help him if he got into a situation. All he could do was focus on his target and keep moving until he was able to get his hands on Hickey and slit his throat. Listening to what was being said by the counterfeiter and his companions; Connor's bad feeling only grew as he started to get an impression of what Hickey might be planning.

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Called into action by a familiar, high pitched whistle, Giovanni abandoned his watch over a group of Loyalist troops and took off across the rooftops, tracking Connor through the twisted streets and back routes until he got eyes on Hickey. Giving his all to the chase, Giovanni closed the distance and leapt down from the rooftops, landing in a hay cart just in front of Hickey.

Launching out of the cart, Giovanni very nearly had Hickey but he slipped away and ran into a busy marketplace, only to be caught by Connor. Grabbing a fistful of Hickey's jacket, the brothers dragged him out of the busy marketplace and out of sight down a narrow alleyway. Releasing the usually inebriated man, Giovanni stepped back as Connor grabbed him and shoved him up against the wall, pinning him easily.  
'Be still. You will do no more harm.' Connor warned, keeping Hickey pinned against the wall.  
'you're a right fool, meddlin' in affairs you know nuttin' about.' Hickey growled, unconcerned at the sight of two Assassins.  
'Washington's the only thing keeping the Continental Army together. You kill him - and you end all hope for freedom.' Connor insisted, refusing to be drawn into Hickey's game.  
'Wrong, boy-o. Wit 'im gone, they'd have no choice but to promote Lee. And then-'

Letting out a yelp as he was grabbed by two Loyalist troops, Giovanni knew better than to fight back at the moment, these men were supposed to be their allies. He would not harm them. He could only watch as another two of these guards grabbed Connor and Hickey, forcing the men apart.  
'You are both under arrest.'  
'Ah well, we were just havin' a scrap, officer! Ain't nuttin' wrong with two men settlin' their differences the ol' fashi'n way. Can't we come to-' Hickey tried, desperate to save his own skin.  
'Quiet!' Connor snapped, struggling against the man holding his collar. 'What are the charges?'  
'counterfeiting.' another guard replied, holding the bag Hickey had been carrying.  
'I had nothing to do with that! Neither did my brother!' Connor replied, pointing at Giovanni quickly in a vain attempt to get him out of trouble.  
'Course not.' the guard scoffed, unmoved by Connor's attempt.  
'Listen, there are more important things at stake here. This man is planning to-' Connor tried to explain but the guards had grown tired of him and one clubbed him to the ground with the butt of his pistol.  
'Connor! Wake up Connor!' Giovanni roared, wrenching free from the guard holding him. 'You fools! Thomas Hickey intends to murder General Washington! You hit the wrong man!'  
'Yeah sure.' one of the guards replied, rolling his eyes as he grabbed Giovanni again. 'If he means that much to you, you can carry this limp sack.'

Growling low in his throat and praying that Lorenzo was having better luck with his mission, Giovanni planted one knee firmly and grabbed Connor's jacket, dragging his unconscious elder brother onto his shoulders. Thankfully Connor wasn't too heavy but his deadweight would certainly cause a problem if things went to hell again. Now everything depended on Lorenzo and his abilities, if he fouled up in any way, their entire mission in New York would go down with them.

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Weighed down by the knowledge that the lives of his brothers were hanging in the balance and his actions could determine their fate, Lorenzo found one of the Assassin safe houses and abandoned his familiar, comfortable garments in favour of a bluecoat uniform and a deadly dance in enemy territory. As much as he hated to do it, he removed his feathers and beads from his hair as well, pulling his shaggy mop back into the neatest ponytail he could and slipping on his tricorne hat.

Sneaking out of the safe house, Lorenzo headed straight for the prison and slipped inside quietly, strangling one of the many guards and taking his place among the others standing guard over the prisoners. Refusing to think of what might happen if he was caught or if his brothers stirred up trouble, he held his place and waited trusting that this would play into his hands.

Sure enough, only minutes later he spotted Charles Lee and Haytham Kenway approach and nodded faintly, moving out of his position and leading them through the dimly lit corridors. It had been years since the last time he had confronted Haytham so he doubted the Grandmaster would recognise him anymore. He was just grateful he'd been able to convince Charles to play along with this crazy idea.  
'I believe I've just been pardoned.' Hickey was speaking, no doubt taunting his brothers.

Resisting the urge to release his brothers right now, Lorenzo kept his gaze forward and approached Hickey's cell, unlocking the door and pulling it open. It was a fight to keep the angry snarl off his features but Lorenzo couldn't risk blowing this now, he had to stay in character and speak with his brothers when he had a chance.  
'Thank you kindly for the rescue, gents.' Hickey nodded, stepping out of his cell.  
'There can be no further mistakes, Thomas. Am I understood?' Haytham instructed, staring straight at Hickey for a few moments before turning and walking away.  
'Wot about the Assassins?' Hickey asked, bringing Haytham's attention back to him. 'Yeah, they're here. They put 'em in the cell next to mine. Guess we didn't quite get 'em all, eh?'  
'Deal with this Charles.' Haytham ordered, turning again and leaving them to it.  
'At once, sir.' Charles replied, well aware of the third Assassin standing right behind him.  
'Wot are we gonna do?' Hickey asked, still oblivious to the real threat.

Approaching the cell, Lorenzo lifted his gaze a little and nodded faintly, catching the attention of his brothers. They were both careful not to show they recognised him, they understood that he was their last chance to get out of this mess alive and intact.  
'You're those boys from the Continental Congress. Adams' little lapdogs. Hmmm, I think I have an idea…Yes. Two birds with one stone…or in this case, three birds.' Charles nodded, looking at Hickey with a faint, greasy smile.  
'Do tell.' Hickey prodded, wanting to share in the amusement.  
'All in good time. It's not like these Assassins are going anywhere. For now, we should see about getting you better accommodations here.' Charles replied, turning away from the caged duo and heading back towards the main part of the prison.  
'What you on about? I thought I was gettin' out.' Hickey protested, hanging back from Charles' back.  
'I'm afraid you won't be leaving for a while, thanks to Benjamin Tallmadge. He's been running his mouth, saying all sorts of things. You're being investigated for plotting to assassinate George Washington.' Charles explained, turning back to the younger man.  
'What a bunch of bollocks! I thought you was gonna handle that!' Hickey growled, not at all pleased to hear he was stuck behind bars for a while longer.  
'We'll discuss this elsewhere.' Charles warned, making it clear that he didn't want to talk about this in front of the Assassins.

Watching Charles and Thomas walk away, Lorenzo smirked and approached the locked door, tipping his hat back and leaning lightly on the bars. There was no mistaking the open hostility he was faced with, he really should have been in the cell with them but instead he was parading around beside one of their enemies.  
'Oh drop the attitude, Connor. It was this or find a way to join you in the cells. Given I missed your fight with Hickey, this was my best way in.' Lorenzo shrugged, glancing around to check for any other threats lurking around them.  
'So why have you not slit Lee's throat yet?' Connor asked, approaching the cell door again.  
'Because he still has a purpose. So far, he has no idea who I am, I'm just another bluecoat to him. I might yet milk more information from him but that will only work if he thinks I'm some low grade Templar just doing his duty.' Lorenzo explained, constantly alert for trouble.  
'Ah, so that's what you've been up to. You've been working Lee for information.' Giovanni grinned, approaching the door.  
'Quietly of course. He's a suspicious sort, gotta play it careful or he'll have me shot.' Lorenzo nodded, relieved that Giovanni hadn't called him on his lies.  
'So in the meantime you expect us to just sit in this cesspool and wait?' Connor groaned, trying to ignore the stench of their surrounds but it was tough.  
'For now, it's the only thing you can do to avoid suspicion. I'll do my best to bring you extra food and keep you up to date on what I've found out but you need to be patient.' Lorenzo shrugged, tensing up when he heard footsteps approaching them. 'I have to go but be strong, my brothers. I will get you out of here.'

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Barely holding back a yelp as he was grabbed and spun before being slammed up against the rough stone wall of his latest billet, Charles instantly didn't like his current position. His wrists were pinned to the wall beside his head, the grip so firm it might as well have been steel bands locked around his limbs.

Normally being trapped like this would trigger off another panic attack but this time he could see who had such a strong grip on him and he was able to fight off the impending panic. The fact his captor was wearing a Patriot uniform, eyes dark and hard as he snarled low didn't help but Charles recognised who it was under the disguise.  
'Let me go, Lorenzo.' he requested, tensing against the firm grip on his arms. 'You know I do not like this.'  
'Be grateful I didn't slam your face into the stonework.' Lorenzo growled, careful to keep his voice down. 'What do you intend to do to my brothers?'  
'Release me and I will tell you.' Charles tried, a small part of his mind hopeful Haytham would come to speak with him but he was fairly sure Lorenzo would have locked the door.  
'No tricks, Charles.' Lorenzo warned, tightening his grip for a moment before releasing him and stepping back. 'Now, what are you going to do to my brothers?'  
'For now, nothing. There are some last minute details that need attention. The couriers have already been dispatched and the town criers are spreading the word. In two days, two traitors will be tried and hung.' Charles replied, rubbing at his wrists lightly.

Cursing in his native tongue, Lorenzo turned away from Charles and clenched his fists, crushing down on his desire to break his siblings out before the hanging. They could ill afford to stir up more trouble, it would only take a moment of inattention for them to wind up in more trouble and possibly face a firing squad instead of a hanging.  
'Two days…I have time at least.' he uttered, already thinking about how he might affect a rescue and get his brothers out of danger. 'You had best not be trying to fool me so you can eliminate them.'  
'Two days, that's what was agreed upon.' Charles repeated, watching Lorenzo and hating that he had caused this discontent in the young man. 'Lorenzo…if there had been any other way…'  
'There is no point finishing that statement Charles. You are what you are, I have no doubt you would get much joy out of seeing my brothers dance on the ropes.' Lorenzo spat, refusing to look at Charles. 'Why I ever thought to expect anything else from a Templar is beyond me now.'  
'What do you want of me then? Look me in the eyes and tell me what you want.' Charles tried, reaching out to Lorenzo in an attempt to repair their fragile connection.

Turning back to Charles and tossing his hat to land on the bed, Lorenzo looked up at the older man and honestly didn't care if he looked totally pathetic right now. He couldn't stop the tears from falling as he tried to find a solution that wouldn't force him to choose between family and love.  
'What do I want? I want to end this stupid war. I want to see my brothers free and back in the forest valley where we were raised. I want to live a life of peace with you at my side, far from anyone who can judge us for what we are.' Lorenzo choked, so tired of all the responsibilities heaped on him from such an early age. 'That's what I want. I want family, love, freedom and peace. Is that really too much to ask for?'  
'No, it's never too much to ask for such things.' Charles replied, realising that he had a precious soul here in front of him. 'And one day you will find a way to have them.'

Flinching when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, Lorenzo didn't resist as Charles drew him into a firm and supportive embrace. It was nice to have someone else to lean on, someone who had been around and seen a lot more than he had. Having grown up without a father figure or even a loving male role model apart from Connor, he was still immature in so many ways. It was likely that was part of the reason he felt so drawn to Charles, he had found someone who could show him how to become a mature man ready to handle the harsh realities of the world.  
'I cannot help you with all of your goals, Lorenzo. But perhaps, when it's just the two of us like this, we can put aside our differences and forget about the war between our factions.' Charles suggested, slipping his Templar ring off and tucking it in his pocket out of sight.  
'I'd like that, Charles.' Lorenzo nodded, leaning back a little and looking up at Charles. 'Thank you for this. I was worried that my attempts to get through to you would end in failure.'  
'No, I merely needed time to accept that such a handsome young man might have any interest in me, it was a shock for certain.' Charles replied, astounded by how right this felt. 'No doubt you are still wearing those bracers of yours.'  
'Did you honestly expect I would enter enemy territory without a familiar weapon?' Lorenzo smirked, slipping out of the warm embrace.

Lifting off his slung equipment, Lorenzo piled it all on the chair in the corner and removed his outer most belt, adding it to the pile slowly growing before starting on the buttons of his tunic. Shouldering out of the heavy blue cloth, he tossed it aside and started on his bracers, slipping them off smoothly and tucking them under all of his other discarded belongings. Glad to be rid of the weight, he turned back to Charles and smiled to see him tossing aside his waistcoat for comfort.  
'I still cannot believe you would…' Charles sighed, watching Lorenzo stretch his back.  
'Then I guess I will have to show you how special you are.' Lorenzo replied, slipping off his boots and padding over to present his bared forearms to Charles. 'Satisfied?'  
'I think we can work with this arrangement.' Charles nodded, still astounded that this young man was so interested in him.  
'Only if we can find a way to balance out what we both want out of this. Let there be no talk of business between us when we are alone. This time is just for us, to find a way to make this work and grasp some little piece of joy in the midst of all this struggle.' Lorenzo replied, pushing aside all thoughts of his brothers and the other Assassins so he could properly focus on what he had now.

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Stirring from his forced slumber, Giovanni sat up slowly and looked around, lips curling in an angry snarl when he realised that the events of the night before hadn't been some tormenting dream. They had been so close to eliminating Hickey, he had been right in their grasp but somehow the Templars had known of their plans, plans the brothers hadn't even shared with Lorenzo. There had been no time to tell the youngest brother, no chance to bring him up to speed when he'd last come to check on them. They'd been caught short, Connor had taken yet another beating from Charles Lee and Lorenzo was nowhere to be found.

Hope seemed truly lost as he sat there in his cell, gazing at Connor's unconscious form on the floor. Today they would face the gallows, the most undignified death possible and Giovanni was secretly terrified. He kept seeing flashes of familiar faces in his mind, three lifeless faces dangling from the gallows. At least Lorenzo was still out there, if nothing else went their way at least he would keep pushing to get their job finished.

Head snapping up when their cell door opened, Giovanni pressed back against the wall as two guards entered and kicked Connor none too gently, forcing the elder sibling to his feet. Two more came for Giovanni and he didn't resist them, too worn down from poor food and lack of proper sleep to even consider fighting now. He just looked at Connor with resigned eyes as the guards bound their wrists and shoved them out of the cell.

Ignoring the taunts and jeers of the other prisoners, the brothers walked across the rough hewn boards, barely noticing the pain in their bare feet as more splinters and other muck dug into already cracked and bleeding soles. Slowly Giovanni straightened, wincing at the pain in his ribs but determined to face this with all the dignity he could muster. Looking at him in confusion, Connor squared his shoulders and tried to emulate the confidence Giovanni portrayed but it was hard when they knew they were almost out of time.

Escorted out of the prison, Connor sighed softly as they stepped out from the shelter of the ugly stone walls and were washed in the cool of a rainstorm. The slight cooling comfort of the fresh water helped to ease some of his discomfort but did nothing to ease the guilt resting on him. There was barely any time to enjoy even that small wonder before they were thrown into one of the prison wagons, Giovanni landing heavily on Connor's side and sending a flare of pain up his side. The door was slammed shut and locked, leaving them in near darkness to contemplate their fate.  
'We will get out of this, won't we Ratonhnhaké:ton?' Giovanni asked, rolling off his brother and managing to sit up.  
'I do not know, Vanni. We can only hope Renzo has managed to rally the others to help.' Connor replied, the use of their native tongue bringing some small comfort to them.  
'I am scared, brother.' Giovanni admitted, shuffling closer as the wagon moved off.  
'As am I, little one. We must be brave, as much as we might not want to.' Connor sighed, managing to partly curl up against Giovanni in the cramped space. 'Renzo will come through, he will not let this happen without a fight.'  
'I hope so. I am not ready to die yet.' Giovanni uttered, burrowing as close to Connor's chest as he could get. 'I miss our village.'  
'Shhh, we will get through this. We cannot give up hope just yet.' Connor soothed, knowing he had to be strong when all he wanted was for someone to tell him things would work out.

Tensing up as the wagon stopped, the brothers untangled themselves and turned to the heavy door, listening to the roar of an angry crowd somewhere nearby. Swallowing nervously, Giovanni whimpered faintly and ducked his head, his youth coming out as he was faced with his death. Turning to him, Connor ducked his head and gently nuzzled his brother, trying to reassure him with touch when he couldn't hold him tight.  
'Do not show you are afraid.' Connor guided, unable to completely hide a flinch as the door was opened. 'We must be strong.'  
'Head up and shoulders back.' Giovanni nodded, approaching the door and jumping down into the rain again.

Stumbling from exhaustion and his poor treatment, Connor misjudged the jump and fell heavily, knocking the wind out of his lungs as he crumpled to the paved street. He was so tired, weighed down by his failure to protect his younger brother from harm and troubled that this would shift all of their responsibilities onto Lorenzo's shoulders.  
'Ello Connor. Didn't think I'd miss your goin' away party, did ya?' Hickey taunted, crouching and hauling Connor to his feet. 'I hear Washington 'imself is gonna be in attendance. Hope nuttin' bad 'appens to him.'  
'You said there'd be a trial!' Connor growled, his old fire coming back a little.  
'Ah, no trial for Traitors, I'm afraid. Lee an' Haytham saw to that. It's straight to the gallows for you two!' Hickey laughed, feeding off the fear he was in Giovanni's young eyes.  
'We will not die today. The same cannot be said for you.' Connor replied, having noticed something that Giovanni and Hickey had both missed.  
'That's enough! Keep moving!' Lorenzo snapped, shoving Connor hard in the back and sending him stumbling forward.

Hating what he had to do but determined to protect his brothers even at the cost of his own young life, Lorenzo walked calmly beside Hickey, watching over the prisoners and planning out his next move. He had managed to get his hands on a special little something to slow Hickey down and eventually kill him in a slow and painful way but Lorenzo had a feeling the poison would not have time to finish the job.

Reaching out quickly, he scratched the metal scrap against the back of Hickey's neck and yanked his hand back, smirking faintly as Hickey reached up to touch the small scratch. He'd been told to be very careful of this particular poison, it would not take much to make a man very sick and kill him within a week. There was no antidote so Lorenzo took no chances, wearing thicker gloves and dropping the scrap into a special little container inside one of his pouches.  
'Some nasty bugs around at the moment, might want to get that checked when you can.' Lorenzo suggested, managing to pull off a reasonable local accent. 'Buddy of mine got a bite like that on his arm. Doctors ended up having to amputate at the elbow to save his life.'

Recognising that particular voice, Giovanni's eyes widened and he glanced at Connor, catching the faint signal that he gave in return. At least now they knew where Lorenzo was, even if they had no idea what his plan was. In the crowd they could see other familiar faces and even caught sight of one of the other Assassins dealing with a roofguard quietly. Straightening up and lifting their heads, the brothers found a new flicker of hope and clung to it, confident that their Order would not let them down now.

Forcing his emotions down deep into his chest, Lorenzo held his spot beside Hickey and scanned the hostile crowd slowly, spotting their allies and keeping tabs on the situation. Up ahead, he could see the gallows and quickly looked away, unable to bear the sight of Charles standing up there, waiting to turn this crowd even further against his brothers. It was so hard to stand back and do nothing as a young woman came up to Connor and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground as she spat on him.

Biting his tongue and cursing his weakness, Lorenzo looked away, fighting to maintain his bored guard appearance. Instead he distracted Hickey, giving Achilles a chance to reassure his brothers and guide them on what to do. It wasn't hard to distract Hickey, he was already feeling the effects of the poison coursing through him.  
'You are not alone. Only give a cry when you need us…'  
'Forget about us - you need to stop Hickey. He's…'  
'Up ya go! Don't wanna be late, now do we?' Hickey cut in, dragging Connor back to his feet and escorting him towards the gallows. 'Ya just had to be a hero, didn't ya? You and Georgie both. Now you'll see what it gets ya: a pine box and l'il else.'

Taking over the escort duty on his own, Lorenzo used his musket to herd his brothers up the rough hewn steps and onto the gallows proper, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. He didn't like having to put his brother's lives in Charles' hands but he needed Charles to keep talking until the others were in place. Charles had agreed to the plan, though he'd made it clear he didn't approve of it either. It was a sign of trust, a hope for a future together and an offering of mutual interest in the four main goals Lorenzo had spoken of two nights previous.  
'Brothers. Sisters. Fellow Patriots. Several days ago we learned of a scheme so vile, so dastardly - that even repeating it now, disturbs my being. The men before you plotted to murder our much beloved General. Indeed. What darkness or madness moved them, none can say. And they themselves offer no defence. Show no remorse. And though we have begged and pleaded with them to share what they know, they maintain a deadly silence.' Charles declared, striding along the raised platform and whipping up the crowd before slipping coarse spun hoods over their heads.  
'Peace my brothers, this is all part of the plan.' Lorenzo muttered, keeping his place behind them and waiting for the moment. 'All you have to do is call, everything is in place.'  
'If the men will not explain themselves - if they will not confess and atone - what other option do we have, but this? They sought to send us into the arms of our enemy. And thus, we are compelled by Justice to send them from this world.' Charles continued, the crowd baying for blood with every scripted word he proclaimed to them. 'May God have mercy on your souls.'  
'Deep breaths, here it comes.' Lorenzo hissed, eye on one Charles and the other on their friends in the crowd beyond.

Closing his eyes in the shadow of his tricorne hat, Lorenzo was helpless to do anything but listen and wait as his brothers struggled for their lives. He didn't dare intervene, as much as it was killing him not to cut them down and damn the consequences. There it was, the piercing whistle of the Assassins and Lorenzo ducked, narrowly avoiding the thrown knives that sheared through the ropes holding his brothers.

Struggling for breath beneath the gallows, Giovanni and Connor gasped for air as Achilles sliced their hands free, yanked their hoods off and helped to pull the nooses from their necks before offering out two tomahawks he had retrieved. Rubbing at his throat lightly, Giovanni was first to his feet and looked up, catching Lorenzo's eyes and signalling for him to join the battle.  
'Need…to stop…Hickey.' Connor gasped, struggling to his feet.  
'Go!' Achilles nodded, handing over the weapons and watching the pair scramble out from under the gallows and run after their target.

Giving Charles an apologetic look, Lorenzo spun and punched him square in the jaw and leapt off the gallows, rolling and sprinting off behind his brothers. A quick yank at an extra little clip he'd installed on his gear and all the extra pieces fell off, leaving him unencumbered and free to move with his brothers. That was another little detail he'd discussed with Charles and though neither liked it, both had agreed that it was for the best. In truth, the hit wasn't all that hard but Charles was a showman and played it up to the crowd, stumbling and landing safely in the hay pile prepared beforehand behind the gallows.  
'Renzo!' Giovanni called, knowing that he was the best chance to catch Hickey.  
'I've got him!' Lorenzo nodded, shoving through the crowd as quickly as he could. 'Watch my back!'

Throwing his musket into a puddle to render it temporarily useless, Lorenzo tackled Hickey and threw him back away from Washington and his bodyguards, sending the sodden Templar rolling into another puddle. Tearing away his tunic along a purposefully weakened seam on the right side, Lorenzo pulled his tomahawk from a rough back holster and flipped out his hidden dagger, eyes narrowed as he squared off against Hickey.

Arriving on scene, Connor and Giovanni turned their attention to the militiamen that were starting to close in, doing their best to give Lorenzo the space he needed to finish the job. Still considerably weakened by what they had gone through, the older two were a little sluggish with their motions but the militiamen were untrained and easily spooked.

Twisting clear of a thrust from Hickey, Lorenzo wrenched the musket from his hands and tossed it up towards Washington's bodyguards even as he swung his hidden dagger around to swipe at Hickey's throat. His strike missed but it did serve to push Hickey back further and give Washington's men a bit more breathing space. Rage boiling, Lorenzo set his feet and swung, dagger tearing open Hickey's uniform twice before he brought his tomahawk around and ripped open a deadly wound. Hidden dagger slipping away quickly, he caught Hickey and lowered him gently to the ground, calling for his brothers to join him and hear the last words of this monster.  
'Dammit. I thought I'd at least live to see another day. Shame.' Hickey uttered, looking up at the three brothers.  
'I want answers. Why did Johnson try to buy our people's land?' Connor demanded, kneeling in the mud to better hear his dying voice.  
'Why was Pitcairn targeting Adams and Hancock?' Giovanni asked, also kneeling and ignoring the threats around them.  
'What purpose would Washington's murder have served?' Lorenzo questioned, tossing his hat aside.  
'Why does your order support the British?' Connor continued, determined to get some answers.  
'How should I know? The Templars. Lee. The big man, Haytham. They 'as the money. They 'as the power. That's the reason I threw in with 'em. That's the only reason. Sure, they 'ave some sort of vision, for the future too. I didn't give a damn about any of that. They can sing their songs about mankind and its troubles. They can make their plans and spring their traps, don't bother me none. They paid me so I said yes. Didn't bother to ask who or how or why. Didn't care.' Hickey explained, gasping for each breath and turning his gaze to Lorenzo, almost as if he understood what he had done near the wagon.  
'You chose to side with men who would rob us of our humanity simply because it was more profitable?' Giovanni sighed, somehow not surprised by what he was hearing.  
'Wot else is there? I'm not some blind fool who'd give up all I've got on principle. What is principle anyway? Can ya bring it to the bank?' Hickey replied, still looking up at Lorenzo as acceptance passed into his gaze. 'Don't look at me like that. We're different, you and I! You're just some blind fools who's always chasin' butterflies. Where as I'm a type of guy who likes to have a beer in one hand and a titty in the other. Thing is, boys, I can have what I seek. Had it even. You? Your hands will always be empty.' Hickey finished, one last breath wheezing out of him before he was gone.  
'He knew…he knew I was an Assassin but he said nothing. He let this unfold, he accepted that this was his time and let it happen.' Lorenzo uttered, shaking his head slowly. 'Why…if he knew he could have given me up to Kenway and seen me hang with you.'

Getting to their feet, the brothers turned to confront the circle of angry Patriots that had surrounded them while they were focused on Hickey's last words. Fists up, they spread out a little and counted their opponents, their minds made up that they would not kill these men. They were just doing their duties, it would be wrong to harm them for that.  
'At ease, men! At ease!' a familiar voice called, breaking the tension and reminding the brothers that they had other friends to call upon in times of strife. 'I said lower your god-damned guns! These men are heroes!'  
'Perfect timing, there has been enough blood slipped today.' Giovanni muttered, rubbing at his neck again and wincing as he touched the fresh rope burns.  
'The General can be so stubborn sometimes. Piffle, he said, when we warned him something like this would happen! Piffle!' Putnam ranted, kicking at Hickey's corpse.  
'Stop.' Lorenzo instructed, moving between Putnam and the corpse.  
'He wanted to kill the Commander. Nearly killed your brothers as well. He was a scoundrel.' Putnam replied, not surprised by Lorenzo's response.  
'But still a man.' Connor replied, standing firm with his brother on this one.  
'Hmph. You're nothing, if not consistent.' Putnam scoffed, puffing on his cigar as he gazed at the brothers standing there.  
'Where is Washington? We need to speak with him.' Giovanni requested, relishing the cool rain soaking his clothes and washing away the prison grime.  
'Bundled off as soon as the execution went sideways. He's likely on his way back to Philadelphia by now.' Putnam replied, confusion flickering in his eyes for a moment.  
'Then so are we.' Connor nodded, turning to leave so they could continue their fight elsewhere.  
'Something wrong?' Putnam asked, unbothered by the actions of the brother, merely curious as to their plans.  
'He is still in danger. Thomas Hickey was not working alone.' Lorenzo replied, slipping one arm around Giovanni's back. 'Come, we need to get changed and get on the road again.'  
'And find someone to check these wounds. I expected a near hanging would hurt but my neck is on fire.' Giovanni nodded, relieved to be alive and now fully able to understand why no one liked talking about close calls.

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Thinking about all of the other scars that he'd developed since these dreams started coming to him, Giovanni parted his formal collar and turned his face to the side, gazing at the thick yet faded scar around his neck. There was no mistaking what it was, not with similar scars adorning the necks of his Uncle and cousin Petruccio. He was marked as a survivor, a young man who had kissed the line between life and death and come away triumphant. Somehow though, he didn't feel like a survivor. He felt lost and alone without Connor's understanding presence beside him. Sure, having Renzo around was nice but he couldn't understand what it felt like to come that close to death.

Tipping his head to the other side and tracing the scar he had been left with, Giovanni sighed softly and wondered just how many more scars he would develop in his sleep. His hands were already calloused and worn, rope burns marked his palms and his fingers bore the calluses of using a bow to go with the calluses of sword and dagger. He had marks from the rigging of the Aquila and a burn on his chest from a misfired cannon as well as a scattering of splinter scars from the battles they had faced on the oceans.

He had a new scar on his lip from when one of the guards had punched him in Bridewell Prison and there were small scars on his feet from the rough floor of that place. There was a long scar on the right side of his forehead, mostly covered by his hair but a distinct reminder of fighting redcoats outside Boston. A matching scar on his left shoulder took him back to Breed's Hill again, twisting through the press of redcoats and leaving behind a trail of blood and bodies.

A puckered circle of scar tissue on his right thigh, left behind by a stray musket round in Boston, right back at the time of the Massacre. An almost straight line carved down his left thigh, a bayonet he'd been too slow to deflect in among throwing tea crates into the waters of Boston harbour. A curved scar on his abdomen, over to the left side, a stern warning about staying clear of grenadiers and their axes.

Just fourteen and already he had the markings of a soldier three times his age, covered in scars and with a skilled grace to his movements. Giovanni honestly doubted if his own father had as many scars and battle stories to tell, certainly his stories would lack the vast scope of Giovanni's own adventures.  
'Something troubling you, mio figlio?' Mario asked, stopping behind Giovanni and watching him examining his scars.  
'No, babbo. Just thinking about the dreams.' Giovanni replied, meeting Mario's eyes in the mirror.  
'And examining new scars I take it.' Mario grinned, coming up beside him and drawing his collar back a little more. 'Is this a…'  
'Si, babbo. I was almost hung in the dreams. Renzo saved our lives, he was lucky to avoid the fight that dropped Connor and I in hot water.' Giovanni nodded, loosening his cravat fully and spreading his collar so Mario could see the extent of the scarring.  
'This looks like more than an almost.' Mario remarked, tracing the thinner section at the back.  
'I was certainly closer to death than Uncle Giovanni. The platform dropped under my feet…I was lucky that the recruits in the area were a good shot and severed the rope with a thrown blade.' Giovanni explained, shivering a little as he recalled the desperation he had felt.  
'I doubt I will ever truly understand what you are going through, mio figlio. But I want you to know that if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, mine is always available.' Mario offered, such pride in his eyes as he gazed at Giovanni. 'I am so proud of you both, don't ever forget that.'  
'We won't forget, babbo.' Lorenzo laughed, joining his brother and father in front of the mirror. 'We still have so much to learn from Connor. I just hope next time doesn't end up with me having to make another tough choice.'  
'Whatever you face in your dreams, I have no doubt you will surmount the challenges together. You are Auditore men after all and as a rule, we do not give up easily.' Mario agreed, hands on the shoulders of his boys. 'Learn as much as you can, you never know if it might prove useful.'  
'We will, babbo.' Lorenzo grinned, wrapping one arm around Giovanni's back. 'Whatever happens, we stand together always.'


	6. Tested Bonds Pt 1

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Tested bonds PT 1  
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Not bothering to check for threats, even though his instincts told him to be wary, Lorenzo strode into the abandoned church they'd been directed to by Washington and sighed, disappointed to find the building empty. Hearing a noise from above and behind, he turned and raised his arms defensively as Haytham Kenway dropped down onto him, sending him crashing to the floor.  
'Haytham Kenway at last.' he smirked, enjoying the look of confusion he got. 'Expecting someone else instead?'  
'It matters little. Any last words?' Haytham replied, hidden blade held ready for the killing blow.  
'One…two…three.' Lorenzo smirked, breaking Haytham's grip on him and throwing him back.

Haytham came at him again but Giovanni was faster, getting his feet up and kicking the older man clear then bounding smoothly to his feet. Hidden dagger slipping out smoothly, Lorenzo dropped his weight and held ready, confident that his elder siblings would make their show as planned.  
'Come to check up on Church? Make sure he'd stolen enough for your British brothers?' Giovanni scoffed, appearing in the doorway behind Haytham with his dagger and tomahawk in hand.  
'Benjamin Church is no brother of mine. No more than the Redcoats or their idiot King.' Haytham replied, turning to confront this new arrival. 'I expected naiveté. But this…the Templars do not fight for the crown. We seek the same as you, boys! Freedom. Justice. Independence.'  
'But…' Lorenzo started, looking past Haytham to Giovanni.  
'Hmmm! But what?' Haytham asked, attention going back to Lorenzo.

Vaulting in through one of the missing windows, Connor landed lightly and straightened, glaring at his father from under his peaked hood. A quick signal and the younger brothers moved, encircling Haytham properly and readying their weapons for a fight. This was their chance to put an end to Templar plans for the colonies, though the younger brothers realised that Connor likely would not let that happen. At least, not until he knew more about his father.  
'Johnson. Pitcairn. Hickey. They sought to steal land. To sack towns. To murder George Washington.' Connor responded, forcing his anger down and trying to show his brothers he was a capable leader.  
'Johnson sought to own the land that we might keep it safe. Pitcairn aimed to encourage diplomacy - which you three cocked up thoroughly enough to start a god-damned war! And Hickey? George Washington is a wretched leader. He's lost nearly every battle in which he's taken part. The man's wracked with uncertainty and insecurity. Only look at Valley Forge to know my words are true. We're all better off without him.' Haytham detailed, constantly moving within the circle of brothers but he was careful not to get too close. 'Look - much as I'd love to spar with you three, Benjamin Church's mouth is as big as his ego. You clearly want the supplies he's stolen, I want him punished. Our interests are aligned.'  
'Only until you get a chance to stab us in the back!' Giovanni barked, making his disdain clear. 'We know your type, the Templars are no strangers to us.'  
'Peace, Vanni. You will have your chance soon enough.' Connor soothed, switching to their natural tongue to keep Haytham out of their business. 'What do you propose?'  
'A truce. Perhaps - perhaps some time together might do us good. You are my son, after all, and might still be saved from your ignorance.' Haytham suggested, making it clear with his posture that this was only meant for Connor. 'I can kill you now if you'd prefer.'  
'I go nowhere without my brothers. They are more my family than you ever will be.' Connor replied, ignoring the hidden blade Haytham was wearing. 'All or nothing, those are our terms.'  
'Not that we have anything against slicing you to pieces.' Giovanni shrugged, bored with the situation and more than ready to get after Church.  
'After all, just look at what we've already done.' Lorenzo added, lifting his chin. 'I know what you did in New York at the execution.'  
'Very well, I accept your terms.' Haytham nodded, giving Lorenzo a look that warned of retribution of he continued. 'Shall we be off?'  
'Do you even know where Benjamin Church has gone?' Connor asked, stopping his father from leaving the building.  
'I'm afraid not. I'd hoped to ambush him when he or one of his men returned here. It seems I'm too late. They've come and cleared the place out.' Haytham replied, the faintest hint of regret in his voice as he looked at the three younger men.  
'We may be able to track him.' Connor nodded, stepping outside and looking around slowly. 'Shall we see if your skills have improved, little ones?'  
'Eventually you're going to need a new nickname for us, Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Lorenzo laughed, slipping past his brothers and starting to search for clues.  
'After all, we're almost as tall and broad as you are.' Giovanni added, bounding out to join the search. 'Perhaps something more befitting our people.'  
'I will think on it, brothers.' Connor promised, shaking his head in fond amusement. 'Come, there must be clues around here to tell us more about where Church went.'

Crouched over the remnants of broken crates, most likely smashed to get at the stolen supplies, Lorenzo sifted through the freshest fallen snow, finding a few clues to what was in the crates but that wasn't particularly useful at the moment. Under some of the splintered timber, he found some damaged goods and dug them out, setting the assortment on a reasonably intact piece of timber for a proper evaluation.  
'Rations, medical supplies and uniforms. Fairly standard for a supply wagon I would think.' he shrugged, looking up at Connor. 'Do you smell that, brother?'  
'Gunpowder.' Connor nodded, picking up on the faint smell left on some of these damaged supplies.  
'I have a bad feeling about this, brother. What if Church sold these stolen supplies to fund another campaign for someone else?' Lorenzo suggested, straightening and looking down at his findings.

Connor didn't have a chance to even consider what Lorenzo was suggesting before he heard the distress call from Giovanni. Without even a backwards glance to make sure Haytham was following, Connor broke into a flat sprint, pulling his tomahawk as he ran with Lorenzo. They found Giovanni further along a partly buried track in the snow, doing his best to hold back a patrol of Redcoats; four of which were grenadiers. Running up the truck of a fallen tree, Connor leapt out into the open air and crashed down on two of the grenadiers, the ugly sound of cracking bones filling the air for a moment.

By the time Haytham caught up with the boys, there was nothing left for him to do. The Redcoat patrol had been torn to pieces and the three Assassins were talking quietly, blood still dripping from their weapons. Now that he had seen some of the dynamic of the team, it was easier for Haytham to pick Connor out of the group but he doubted he would ever find it easy to pick his son form the other two. They could almost be true blood brothers, so tight was their bond and so close their physical statures.  
'You did good, Giovanni. I am proud of you.' Connor smiled, resting his hand on the shoulder of one of his siblings. 'You held your ground until we got here.'  
'Only barely. Had you been even moments later…' Giovanni replied, hanging his head and turning away from Connor.  
'I will always be right here when you need me, brother.' Connor promised, crouching and gathering up a handful of snow. 'That's what family is all about.'

Not quite sure what to make of Connor's behaviour, Haytham approached as he compacted the snow into a flat disk and wrapped it in a piece of cloth Lorenzo held out to him. Resting one hand on Giovanni's shoulder, Connor pressed the wrapped snow disk to a bleeding mess on Giovanni's cheek, totally focused on his younger brother.  
'Did you manage to find anything before this turned into a bloodbath?' Haytham asked, looking around at the mess the trio had made.  
'Fresh snow makes it hard to see but there are tracks here. There is enough left to follow but we must take care.' Giovanni replied, glaring daggers at Haytham. 'Pick your words wisely, old man. Without us, you have little chance of finding Church. We were raised in the forests, you are the outsider here.'  
'Ignore him, Vanni. His patience is only exceeded by his modesty.' Lorenzo shrugged, also glaring at Haytham.  
'That's enough, you two. We might not like it but at least if he is with us, we know what he's doing.' Connor sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'Now, you found the tracks Vanni so you can lead us through this.'  
'Of course.' Giovanni nodded, reaching up to take the covered snow disk Connor had made for him.

Checking the ground again, Giovanni untied the snow disk and shook it out before taking off along the track, forcing his brothers and Haytham to really hustle just to keep up with him. Totally confident in what he was doing, he only glanced at the ground occasionally, sticking to the shelter he could find and sneaking up on a wagon buried to the axels in show with an older man muttering unhappily about getting stuck.  
'Just my luck…Going to freeze to death if I don't get this fixed…' he groaned, kneeling in the snow and peering under the wagon.  
'Are you Ben Church's man?' Connor asked, trying for casual but he missed and made the older man wary of the group. Wary enough for him to turn tail and run into the forest.  
'Well played.' Haytham remarked, sarcasm dripping from his words.  
'Bring him down, brothers.' Connor directed, ignoring Haytham and flicking his wrist after the fleeing man.

Being just that little bit smaller than Connor, the twins found it easier in the snow and took off after the older man. They were really just toying with him, forcing him to keep changing direction and herding the older man back towards Connor. Having not been given a kill order, they kept their weapons secure and just chased him, wearing him down and making it easier for Connor to catch him completely off guard.

Pressed up against a tree, Connor waited for the man to come close and stuck his arm out, catching the older man in the chest and knocking him to the snow. Smiling softly as his brothers joined them again, Connor grabbed the cart driver and hauled him up, slamming him against the tree he'd been hiding behind.  
'It was not wise to run.' Connor warned, easily controlling the struggles of the older man.  
'What do you want?' he asked, not at all comfortable with the situation.  
'Where is Benjamin Church?' Lorenzo asked, eyeing the older man suspiciously.  
'I don't know! We was riding for a camp just north of here. It's where we normally unload the cargo. Maybe you'll find him the-'

All three brothers jumped at the sharp crack of a pistol shot rang out, a splatter of fresh blood washing over their faces as the old cart driver's body slipped to the ground, a hole blown right through his head.  
'Enough of that.' Haytham remarked, calmly reloading his pistol.  
'You did not have to kill him.' Giovanni snapped, wiping the blood from his face.  
'Let's not waste time with this pointless banter. Go catch up with the rest of Church's men. Infiltrate that camp of theirs and see what you can discover.' Haytham ordered, tucking his firearm away and gazing calmly at the trio.  
'What about you?' Connor demanded, not at all pleased with how this had turned out.  
'Never you mind. Just do as I ask.' Haytham replied, sounding affronted by the fact his orders had been questioned.  
'Ask, more like ordered.' Lorenzo spat, flipping Haytham the bird. 'Sit on that and rotate, asshole.'  
'He might enjoy that, Renzo.' Giovanni chuckled, unconcerned by the dark look Haytham gave them. 'We aren't your Templar lackeys to order around at your leisure. Surely your years spent in the colonies haven't robbed you of your manners and decorum.'  
'Try that again and you will be squeaking for the rest of your pitiful life.' Lorenzo spat, turning and stalking away into the snow. 'Coming Ratonhnhaké:ton? We'd hate to smash skulls without you.'  
'Tread carefully, father. My brothers are not known for their steady tempers. They tend to lash out first and question later.' Connor warned, turning and hurrying after his brothers. 'That perhaps was a little harsh, you two.'  
'His arrogance will be the death of him, we're just trying to knock him down without spilling blood.' Lorenzo replied, looking back over his shoulder.  
'Just tone it down a little.' Connor sighed, wondering if any of them were going to survive working in close with his father.

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Crouched among the bushes at the heart of this camp, the brothers listened to the chattered of Church's men all around them. At least now they knew where Church was and about the raid planned on Valley Forge. The trick would be to deal with both problems at the same time without Church getting wind of it. That was a problem for another time though, they had to figure out what to do here first, and then they could plan their next step.

But like so many things in life, this infiltration mission went sideways in a hurry and all three brothers tensed up when they saw two of these mercenaries dragging a bound and beaten Haytham through the camp. Now Connor regretted splitting their strength and hiding separately, he could not be certain his brothers would join him to get Haytham out of trouble but he couldn't sit back and do nothing.  
'Look what we found!' one guard called, drawing the attention of the foreman of this camp.  
'He was creepin' round the camp all suspicious-like.' the other guard added, forcing Haytham to his knees and keeping him there.  
'Must be a Yank spy!' guard one nodded, excited about their catch as he helped keep Haytham's struggles to a minimum.  
'No. He's something else. Something special. Isn't that right, Haytham?' the foreman replied, getting in dangerously close to Haytham's face. 'Church told me all about you.'  
'Then you should know better than this.' Haytham warned, defiant even against such poor odds.  
'You're not really in a position to be makin' threats, are ya?' the foreman asked, punching Haytham in the face with quite a bit of force, if Haytham's pained slump was anything to go by.  
'Not yet.' Haytham countered, his defiance admirable but pointless really.

Swearing under his breath as he watched the guards haul Haytham up and throw him against the wall of the half-building behind them, Lorenzo honestly considered staying out of sight and letting Haytham take a beating for a change. One quick look to the right though, and he knew Connor wouldn't sit back and let this unfold so they had to act. Pulling out his tomahawk, Lorenzo leapt from the shrubs and charged, spotting Connor making his move and confident that Giovanni was already coming in from the other side.

Forgoing his usual weapons just for a change, Giovanni launched from his hiding place with an opportune stone, heading straight for the back of the foreman as he continued to land blow after savage blow on Haytham's face and chest. Kicking off the ground, he raised the stone and brought it crashing down on the head of the foreman with all his power. The sickening crack of bone giving way was almost instantly followed by a wave of blood and brains spraying out in every direction, some of it even splattering across Haytham's face and clothes.

Throwing down the rock and turning as he pulled his cutlass and tomahawk, Giovanni glanced at Lorenzo and nodded, the pair moving forward to confront the on rushing mercenaries as Connor pulled Haytham to his feet and cut him free. Only then did he step forward but there was no real point in Connor joining the fight here, the twins had dispatched these eight men without any real trouble at all.  
'Once you've dealt with the rest of these louts, meet me in New York.' Haytham called, keeping well back from the bloodied twins.  
'What? You mean to just leave? Now?' Connor demanded, a little busy dealing with another batch of mercenaries that had come to investigate the noise.  
'If you can't handle a couple of mercenaries, then we've really no business working together.' Haytham replied, staying out of the fighting even as another six mercenaries charged onto the field of battle.

Lip curling, Lorenzo flipped a loose stone up onto his right toes and launched it, letting out a cheer of delight as it slammed straight into Haytham's groin at full speed. There was no real time to celebrate the hit though, he had to turn back and get into another brawl. Dispatching the latest group of mercenaries, Lorenzo turned back to where Haytham had fallen and smirked upon seeing him still curled up in the snow clutching his groin.  
'That really was uncalled for, Lorenzo.' Connor chastised, watching out for more threats.  
'He was given fair warning about treating us like his Templar dogs. A simple please and phrasing his requirements as a request not an order would have spared him this indignity.' Lorenzo replied, drawing his bow and shooting another mercenary in the throat. 'Why should we have to put up with such attitude? He's no better than us.'  
'Hey! I'm all alone here!' Giovanni called, caught up in the middle of another knot of mercenaries and heavily out numbered.  
'Go on, hobble away coward!' Lorenzo spat, hurrying to help his brother deal with what they hoped was the last of the mercenaries in the camp.  
'Lorenzo!' Connor barked, helping Haytham to his feet. 'Perhaps now you will tread a little more carefully. Next time you might not be so lucky.'  
'I would hardly call that lucky.' Haytham growled, brushing Connor's hand off.  
'You are still alive.' Connor shrugged, drawing his weapons and heading to join his brothers again.


	7. Tested Bonds Pt 2

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Tested bonds PT 2  
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Bounding over the rooftops of New York, Lorenzo could admit that he was a little distracted but he would never admit to it. It had been several weeks since his last meeting with Charles and he found he missed the older man more with every day. He knew their meetings would always be sparse, at least until there was a chance for them both to walk away from the fighting and settle down somewhere, away from both factions and all other distractions. For now, he just had to try and concentrate on keeping up with Haytham and his brothers across the rooftops so they could get this business with Church over and done with.

Still thinking about his last wonderful night with Charles, Lorenzo almost missed the fact that the others had stopped but Giovanni was there to pull him up short of continuing their trek. Shaking his head to clear such thoughts again, he took up a position beside Connor and waited for whatever was going to happen.  
'Tell me something…' Connor requested, watching Haytham and continuing when the older man made a curious sound. 'You could have killed me when we first met - what stayed your hand?'  
'Curiosity. Any other questions?' Haytham replied, looking back over his shoulder at the trio.  
'What is it the Templars truly seek?' Giovanni asked, resting one hand on Connor's shoulder.  
'Order. Purpose. Direction. No more than that.' Haytham responded, turning and coming towards the brothers. 'It's your lot that means to confound with this nonsense talk of freedom. Time was, the Assassins professed a far more sensible goal; that of peace.'  
'Freedom is peace.' Connor retorted, a little confused as to why Lorenzo was holding his tongue but now wasn't the time to ask.  
'Oh, no. It's an invitation to chaos. Only look at this little revolution your friends have started. I have stood before the Continental Congress and listened to them stamp and shout. All in the name of liberty. But it is just noise.' Haytham countered, turning his attention back to the vista of the harbour ahead of them.  
'And this is why you favour Lee?' Lorenzo asked, a less hostile tone to his voice.  
'He understands the needs of this would-be nation far better than the jobberknowls who profess to represent it.' Haytham answered, his temper starting to show.  
'It seems your tongue has tasted sour grapes. The people have made their choice - and it was Washington.' Connor shot back, refusing to accept anything his father said.  
'The people chose nothing. It was done by a group of privileged cowards seeking only to enrich themselves. They convened in private and made a decision that would benefit them! Oh, the might have dressed it up with pretty words but that does not make it true.' Haytham ranted, his temper well and truly fired up now. 'The only difference, boys - the only difference between me and the ones you aid - is that I do not feign affection.'  
'You wouldn't know affection if it bit you in the arse!' Lorenzo snarled, the return of his own temper reassuring his brothers he was okay. 'If you did, you would never have abandoned your own son!'  
'Lorenzo, that's enough. I did just fine without him, we all did.' Connor sighed, tugging his brother back. 'What is wrong with you?'  
'Nothing, I'm just tired of running around with nothing to show for all we've been doing.' Lorenzo replied, biting back what he really wanted to say.  
'I know, I do not like this lack of progress either but that is no reason for any of us to lose our tempers. We will get some progress soon, we just have to keep trying.' Connor nodded, keeping Lorenzo's focus locked on him instead of lashing out at Haytham again. 'Perhaps soon we will return to the homestead, I know how much you enjoy talking with David.'  
'I would like that.' Lorenzo admitted, burying his secrets down deep and hoping Giovanni didn't ask for the truth.  
'If you two are quite finished?' Haytham prodded, flaring Lorenzo's anger again.  
'No, save your anger for another day. There will be another chance to deal with it. For now, we need him alive.' Connor warned, curling his hands over Lorenzo's and squeezing. 'Lead the way.'

Worried for his twin, Giovanni filed his concerns away for later and took off after Haytham again. It wasn't like Lorenzo to be so distracted and jumpy, he was usually the calmer of them but ever since their imprisonment, he'd been acting strange. It was probably nothing to be overly concerned about but he would absolutely have to get to the bottom of it eventually. These frequent and sometimes violent mood swings had to stop before anyone was hurt or worse.

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Shimmying down from the rooftops, the quartet landed in a dark alley just across the street from the brewery and finally managed to put aside their differences for just a few moments for Haytham to check the situation outside the brewery. Judging by the way he suddenly tensed, the brothers knew their apparently simple plan was about to go wrong on them.  
'Church, you clever bastard!' Haytham sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'What is it?' Connor asked, relieved that Lorenzo seemed to have settled again.  
'I was hoping I could wave you past the guards, but he's replaced most of them with men I don't know. Hmmm.' Haytham replied, turning back to the trio. 'Well I should be able to pass without arousing suspicion. But you three…'  
'No. We do this as a team or we leave now and find another way.' Giovanni corrected, grabbing Haytham's arm when he went to emerge from the darkness and approach the brewery alone.  
'Then what do you propose?' Haytham asked, clearly not expecting much of an answer from such naïve minds.  
'A quick change of clothes. We're close enough to pass as blood kin, but you'll have to step up and claim us all as yours or we'll never pass.' Lorenzo shrugged, doubtful Haytham would agree to the plan but it was worth a shot. 'It should not be hard to find something suitable.'

Stunned by Lorenzo's bold plan, Haytham and Connor turned to him, matching looks of disbelief and shock on their faces. Stepping closer, Lorenzo extended one hand and grinned as Connor held his along side. Sure enough, there wasn't a lot of obvious difference between their skin tones. Both were too light to be full blood native but too dark to be considered truly British either. Lorenzo's was a little lighter but only slightly, most wouldn't even notice the difference.  
'Very well.' Haytham nodded, shaking off his shock. 'I will wait here then.'  
'Of course you will.' Connor replied, rolling his eyes in the darkness of his hood.  
'We don't have time for this.' Giovanni cut in, silencing another argument before it got out of hand.  
'At least if he stays, we'll have a muster point. Travelling together, we will be obvious to the people. We should split up and raid from different areas of the city.' Lorenzo agreed, not sure what was pushing him to flee from his brothers for a little while.  
'Now there's a good idea. Do be quick about it though, I would prefer to strike under cover of dark if possible.' Haytham nodded, settling on a crate nearby.

Watching the three men turn and run back down the alley, Haytham rolled his eyes and settled back against the wall, expecting to be left waiting for at least an hour for those three fool boys to return. Though, in private, he could admit that Lorenzo's idea was solid. He had utilised so many disguises over the years, this was merely another illusion to achieve his goals. Even claiming the two younger men as his sons didn't raise too many internal complaints, they were both agile, fleet-footed and had some brains behind their uncivilised appearances. There was something about those two boys, something that spoke of an upper class life that had been cruelly torn away from them. Some little detail of that upper-class life had stuck with them, even though they had been raised by the natives and not their own family. They were a study of contrasts and Haytham honestly was looking forward to untangling the twists that made those two something so special.

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Swinging around another corner, Lorenzo tripped over something in the dark and stumbled, throwing his hands out to turn his fall into a forward roll. Getting back to his feet, he turned and scanned the area slowly, trying to work out what he'd tripped over then scoffed when he realised what it was. Someone had killed someone else and merely left the body on the ground, sprawled out on their chest where anyone might see it.

Moving closer, considering if this corpse might serve his needs, Lorenzo's instincts kicked in again and he leapt back, narrowly avoiding the sword that could have taken his head in one clean sweep. Yanking his tomahawk, he heard a faint gasp and froze as a painfully familiar face emerged from the deep shadows right against the buildings.  
'What are you doing here?' Charles asked, sheathing his sword as his eyes lit up with joy.  
'I could ask you the same thing.' Lorenzo replied, returning his tomahawk to his belt. 'Believe it or not but I'm actually here on a shared mission with Haytham and my brothers.'  
'Hunting Benjamin Church no doubt.' Charles nodded, reaching out to Lorenzo with a soft smile on his face. 'Are the others coming this way?'  
'No, Haytham is waiting for us near the harbour and my brothers are scouring the city for suitable clothes.' Lorenzo grinned, closing the distance and practically melting into Charles' embrace. 'I thought perhaps this body might be suitable for me to strip.'  
'Those clothes should be a good fit for you. He didn't feel much bigger than you when I snapped his neck.' Charles replied, cherishing this time with Lorenzo.  
'Ah, so I don't need to worry abut bloodstains.' Lorenzo nodded, refusing to think too much about the comparison Charles made. 'But I will need a very dangerous favour from you. It's fine if you say no, I'll figure something else out.'  
'What do you need?' Charles asked, relaxing his grip a little and stepping back to look down at Lorenzo properly.  
'Well, if I put his clothes on, I'm going to have to hide my own gear. Usually I'd just cache it somewhere nearby but I've had it stolen before. I just wondered if maybe you could keep it safe until I get this over with.' Lorenzo explained, crouching and starting to strip the body.

Sinking to his knees and helping to strip the body, Charles considered the risks of what Lorenzo was asking and wondered if perhaps it was worth the risk. Haytham was still quick on his feet but he was getting older and would have little to fear being seen in public so would likely take his time walking through the streets. Lorenzo on the other hand was younger and fitter, he also knew better than to dally and risk being called out for what he was. As soon as the job was done, he would race back to wherever they agreed to meet and retrieve his proper garments.  
'So long as you promise that you will hurry back to wherever we agree to meet, I can keep your belongings hidden. We just have to be certain Haytham and your brothers don't see us meet.' Charles shrugged, helping to strip the body of everything useful.  
'That's fine, my brothers will have to go fetch their own clothes and I'm sure Haytham will have business elsewhere to keep him distracted.' Lorenzo agreed, checking everything was at least reasonably clean.  
'Do you know where the Soldier's Rest Inn is?' Charles asked, working off the dead man's boots then starting on his breeches.  
'Yes, I have been there before. They serve a fine meal.' Lorenzo nodded, standing and moving to place his bow and quiver on a barrel he'd noticed.  
'I am staying there at the moment, I will leave a marker in the window for you.' Charles offered, finishing with his tasks and gathering up the stolen clothes. 'Soon I hope to have a private home of my own but for now I must be content with the local inns. I travel so often lately.'  
'Now there is a frustration I can understand.' Lorenzo chuckled, sorting out his weapons and deciding on a basic set to take with him - pistol, sword and of course his bracer.

Dressing quickly and securing his weapons in place, Lorenzo neatly bundled up the rest of his weapons and equipment in his robes, lashing the bundle together with his sash. The bundle had been carefully wrapped and tied, hiding all proof of what was hidden inside it and making sure that the Assassin insignia on the belt was hidden under the turns of cloth.  
'Well, how do I look?' Lorenzo asked, turning to Charles and stepping out into the fading light.  
'Somewhere between mercenary and thug.' Charles replied, smoothing out Lorenzo's collar. 'He will never accept this.'  
'Got a better idea? We're running out of time here.' Lorenzo sighed, wracking his brain for something else to add to finish the look properly.  
'Here, this should work.' Charles nodded, untying his cravat and smoothing it out in his hands. 'Lift your chin, this will only take a minute.'  
'Won't Haytham recognise this as yours?' Lorenzo remarked, lifting his chin and trying to relax as he let Charles do what he wanted.  
'Possibly but I doubt it. I am not the only man in the city to wear something like this.' Charles shrugged, tucking the lacy ends out of sight and securing them with his stick pin. 'The pin he might question, but I have no doubt you'll figure out an easy excuse for that.'  
'Pick-pocketed it off some guy who looked like he wouldn't miss it.' Lorenzo smirked, thinking back to some of his other thefts from the upper class.  
'Find a hat on your way back to Haytham and you should be fine.' Charles suggested, running his fingers through Lorenzo's hair to tidy it up. 'And a cloak or cape of some sort probably would not go astray either.'  
'I'll see what I can get my hands on.' Lorenzo nodded, catching Charles' hands and leaning in to steal a daring kiss. 'Thank you for this.'  
'No, thank you for showing me I was wrong.' Charles replied, returning the quick kiss and pulling away reluctantly. 'You had best hurry, Haytham does not like to be kept waiting.'  
'I will see you again soon.' Lorenzo promised, turning to watch Charles pick up the dangerous bundle now charged to him. 'Be careful and make sure no one else sees that bundle.'  
'Everything will be waiting for you when you return, Lorenzo. Watch your back and come back safe.' Charles promised, daring for one ore hug before pulling away and disappearing into the lengthening shadows.

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Last to arrive back in the alley near the brewery, Giovanni ignored the pointed sniggers from his brothers as he straightened his jacket and stepped forward for evaluation. He'd tried his best to find something that emulated Haytham's style without being over the top and had been forced to run a lot further than expected to find it.

Connor had no business laughing, he looked so out of place in his mercenary outfit, ruffles of fine cloth draping over the reasonably clean white shirt mostly hidden under his brown waistcoat and jacket. At least his tricorne hat gave him something to hide behind and did emulate something about Haytham that would hopefully get them past the guards.

Lorenzo had found something in between, wearing much the same as Connor but he'd added a few details to lift his position above just a mercenary. At his throat he wore a neatly tied cravat, a silver pin controlling the layers of lace. Over his shoulders he wore a short cloak, clasped to match Haytham's style and spilling down his back in geometric black and brown patterns. Hair loosened from the usual tail, he wore it down and kept it out of his eyes with a newer looking tricorne in dark blue.

Giovanni though, he'd managed to find an outfit that was almost Haytham's but with a little more personality. White breeches over black boots, white shirt, blue waistcoat and a darker blue jacket wore partially open under a stormy-grey wrap-cloak. Sword resting against his left hip and dual pistols through his belt, he'd tied his hair back with a red ribbon and found a red trimmed black tricorne that fit him perfectly.

Looking the trio over, Haytham had to admit that they certainly didn't look like native raised men anymore. Dressed like this, they could easily be his sons, each one following their own path but clearly his and able to carry themselves with dignity and self-respect. He would have liked a little more equality between their outfits but it wasn't uncommon for upper-class men to end up in different lines of work so this would likely not cause any questions from the guards.  
'That should suffice.' he nodded, straightening Connor's collar and tipping Lorenzo's hat back a little more. 'Follow me.'  
'You look like an idiot, Vanni.' Connor muttered, looking his brother over again.  
'No, I look like the favoured son.' Giovanni replied, lifting his chin and brushing past Connor.  
'He has a point.' Lorenzo agreed, tugging at his cloak. 'I'll be glad when this is over.'  
'You are not the only one.' Connor sighed, slotting in behind his brothers.

Striding purposefully across the street, the brothers spread out a little around Haytham, putting Giovanni to his right, Lorenzo to his left and Connor behind and a little to the left. For now they focused on staying calm and relaxed, not wanting to cause a scene and give Benjamin another chance to slip away.  
'Hold strangers! You tread on private property. What business have you here?' one of the guards challenged, stepping out to block Haytham's path.  
'The Father of Understanding guides us.' Haytham replied, his voice level and even, as if this happened every day.  
'You, I recognise. Not the savages.' the guard nodded, eyes flicking between the brothers.  
'They are my sons.' Haytham corrected, a tone of anger flashing into his voice for a moment.  
'Tasted of the forest's fruits, did you?' the guard smirked, leaning closer to Haytham for a moment.

Crushing down on their desires to react, the brothers waited as the guard stepped back and knocked twice on the door. With a click and a creak, the door swung open and he stepped aside, waving for them to enter. Giving the guard a glare as he passed, Giovanni forced his back to unlock and scowled. Something did not feel right about this situation, he wasn't sure what or why but something was definitely wrong here.

Striding through the darkened brewery, the brothers could all feel a dark sense of foreboding settle over them. Haytham didn't seem aware of their discomfort, he was focused on the task at hand and damn anything else. So the boys kept their silence, swapping meaningful looks among themselves as they followed Haytham through the building to a heavy looking set of doors.  
'It's locked. Give me a moment.' Haytham sighed, sinking to one knee and reaching for his lock picks to get through these doors.  
'Must be strange for you, discovering my existence as you have.' Connor remarked, leaning against the doorframe and watching Haytham work.  
'I'm actually curious to know what your mother might have said about me. I always wondered what life might have been like had she and I stayed together. How is she, by the way?' Haytham replied, succeeding in breaking the lock and standing as he tucked his picks away.  
'Dead. Murdered.' Lorenzo replied, stepping up to rest one hand on Connor's arm.  
'What?' Haytham gasped, horror in his eyes. 'I am sorry to hear that.'  
'Oh, you're sorry? We found our mother burning alive. I'll never forget her face as she sent us away.' Giovanni growled, the old wound still painful when prodded. 'Charles Lee is responsible for her death on your order. And you're sorry?'   
'That's impossible. I gave no such order. I spoke the opposite, in fact - I told them to give up the search for the Precursor Site. We were to focus on more practical pursuits…' Haytham defended, finally realising why the three brothers were so distrustful of him.  
'It is done and we are all out of forgiveness.' Connor snapped, shoving Haytham back and yanking open the door.

Amazingly, though they know better than to comment, the brothers notice that Haytham stayed behind them as they stride purposefully across the room, heading towards the turned back to Benjamin Church. Still though, a dark feelings hangs over the trio, a subtle warning that something is not right and they are tense, ready for action. Surely Haytham has noticed their wariness by now but he keeps his silence, remains behind them and lets them show him their plans.  
'Benjamin Church. You stand accused of betraying the Templar Order and abandoning our principles in pursuit of personal gain. In consideration of your crime, I hereby sentence you to death.' Haytham declared, moving around beside Lorenzo then forward to confront his traitor.

Drawing swords as soon as this Church impostor turned, the brothers scattered and readied for a fight, twisting through the guards that appeared and dispatching the first group with thoughtless ease as Haytham stood and watched them.  
'You're too late. Church and the cargo are long gone. And I'm afraid you won't be in any condition to follow…' the impostor taunted as another group of guards approached the quartet. 'We've chosen to stand with the victor. It's Britain who'll win this war!'  
'Keep dreaming, asshole!' Lorenzo spat, parrying away a musket and flipping out his dagger.  
'You always did prefer principle to profit. Perhaps that's why your little kingdom's started to crumble.' the impostor continued, keeping well out of the fighting.  
'Codardo!' Giovanni yelled, charging into the guards and slaughtering two.

Startled to hear clear Italian from Giovanni, Haytham missed one of the guards aiming for him and gasped as the bayonet speared into his left shoulder. Dropping to one knee, clutching at the bloody wound, he looked up at the guards defiantly but before he could act, Lorenzo was there, dispatching the guard with one quick flick of his sword before hauling Haytham to his feet.  
'Can you fight still?' Lorenzo asked, turning to confront another guard.  
'I believe so.' Haytham nodded, grabbing his sword from the floor. 'My thanks for the aid.'  
'So that's what it takes for you to remember your manners.' Lorenzo smirked, handing Haytham a folded cloth from his belt pouch. 'Here, use this instead of your sleeve.'

Showing an agility that the guards had never had to deal with before, Giovanni ran straight up the nearest wall and flipped off backwards, skewering one man as he went over and beheading another as he landed. Wrenching his sword free, he turned and faced off against another guard, shoving his musket away and turning to rip his abdomen open with the point of his sword.

Shooting one of the last few remaining guards in the head, Connor stayed reasonably close to his father and skipped clear of the swing of another musket aimed at him. Tripping the man up, he thrust his sword down and twisted it sharply, spilling his guts across the floor. Flicking his sword to clean it, he turned to find the next target but the guards were all dead, the battle won for now.

His brothers were standing beside the impostor, matched angry looks on their faces as they hauled him to his feet and held him as Connor and Haytham approached. A single look between the brothers and they understood the situation. As much as they might not like it, this man would likely die and they had to accept as much.  
'Where is Church?' Connor asked, approaching the older man slowly.  
'I'll tell you. Anything you want. Only promise that you'll let me live.' he pleaded, trembling faintly as he stood there.  
'You have my word.' Connor nodded, glancing at his father for a second.  
'He left yesterday for Martinique. Took passage on a trading sloop called the Welcome. Loaded half its hold with the supplies he stole from the Patriots. That's all I know, I swear.' he explained, so focused on Connor that he didn't notice Haytham slinking around behind him until the sharp blade punched into his back. 'You promised…'  
'And he kept his word.' Haytham noted, wiping the spilled blood from his hand and checking on his stab wound. 'Let's go.'

Heads snapping up at the sound of men above, Giovanni and Lorenzo grabbed Haytham and Connor, yanking them down out of the way behind several crates and a roof support pillar. Heads down, the quartet heard the crack of gunfire again and jumped as an explosion ripped through the brewery. Lifting their heads slowly, the four men could only stare as the fire quickly took hold, spreading out across the floor and racing up the walls.  
'Well this just went from bad to worse.' Lorenzo muttered, getting to his feet and helping Haytham up. 'Let's get out of here.'

Scattering through the burning building, the four men fled roughly in the direction of the harbour, fully aware that their best chance of survival would be to get to the water and trade dry heat for wet chills. It certainly wouldn't be much fun but better to get a little wet than burn to death in an unstable building.

Scrabbling up a stone wall that was already starting to get a little hot under his hands, Giovanni kicked off and spun in mid air, managing to catch the edge of a hole in the wooden floor above him. His grip wasn't quite good enough though, he had enough of a hold to hang on but not enough to get the leverage to get up onto the floor above him. Straining, he tried to improve his grip but his left hand slipped, leaving him dangling from a timber that was already starting to show signs of scorching and it wouldn't be long before it went up in flames. Twice he tried to get his left hand back on the timber but he kept slipping off, tearing up his palm and sending fresh waves of pain up through his back. His third attempt to resecure his position was met with success but not in the way he planned. Instead of securing his position, he felt a warm hand grab his flailing left hand and pull him up onto the floor above.  
'Thank you, father.' he gasped, moving away from the edge of the hole.  
'Where are your brothers?' Haytham asked, nudging Giovanni behind him as he turned back to the guards standing nearby with muskets levelled.  
'I do not know. I lost sight of them in the confusion.' Giovanni replied, resting one hand on his sword. 'I thought Lorenzo was right behind me though.'  
'I was but one of the boards snapped and I had to find another way through.' Lorenzo offered, struggling up through another hole in the floor and coming up beside Haytham. 'I did not see Connor though.'

Struggling up through a properly secured hatch in the floor, Connor saw his father and brothers under threat, several guards pushing them back towards a hole behind them, flames licking at the edges. Heaving up and getting his torso over the edge, he could only watch in horror as a roof beam snapped and fell, smashing through the floorboards and dropping his brothers and father out of sight along with the guards.

Finally gaining his feet, Connor approached the hole as Lorenzo managed to claw his way back up out of the new hole and lay panting on the heating boards. Leaning over the edge, Connor was faced with a horrid choice, one he wasn't sure he could make in time. Haytham was hanging by one hand, his wounded shoulder making it harder for him to climb back up. Giovanni dangled right near Haytham, flames racing along the rope he was hanging on.  
'Vanni!' Lorenzo called, dropping the heavy end of a rope dart down to him and wrapping the tail around his chest. 'Hurry!'

Setting his feet and bending down, Connor extended his hand and read the agony in Haytham's eyes as he reached up with his wounded arm. Grabbing hold, Connor leant back and pulled him up as Lorenzo fished Giovanni out of the flames. Getting back onto the relatively solid boards of the upper floor, Haytham hissed and clasped his hand over the freely bleeding wound, definitely feeling the strain of tearing the wound open wider.

Now wasn't the time to worry about his wounds though, they had to get out of this place before it burned down around their ears. Spotting a door that was presumably used to bringing in supplies, Haytham headed for it and trying to pull the locking bar free, but with one arm almost useless, he couldn't get the leverage to lift it properly.  
'Stuck! See if you can find something to pry it open.' he called, refusing to admit he was seriously hindered by his injury. 'Connor? Giovanni? Lorenzo? What are you up to?'

Realising the same thing, the brothers stepped back, careful not to get too close to the open holes in the floor as they turned back to Haytham, lining up on the door behind him. Dropping their weight and sharing a look, they formed a plan without a word and braced for what was sure to be a painful moment for all of them.  
'Oh. No. Don't do that. There's no way of knowing what's on the other siiii-' Haytham's perfectly logical argument dissolved into a scream as he was tackled by all three brothers and they went soaring out into the open air.

As soon as they had gone through the slats of the door, the twins pushed away from Haytham and Connor, the four men splashing down in the harbour in between a couple of mooring posts just beyond the brewery. Kicking back to the surface, they popped up quickly and looked around, making sure everyone was okay.  
'We do now.' Connor remarked, shaking his hair out of his eyes.  
'Not the biggest fall we've ever taken.' Giovanni remarked, looking up at the doorway they'd come out through.  
'Come on, I'd like to get dried off before we freeze.' Lorenzo sighed, starting to swim for shore. 'You okay, Haytham?'  
'I might need some help.' Haytham allowed, his shoulder burning with every movement.  
'I've got you.' Giovanni nodded, wrapping one arm around Haytham's chest and starting to swim with him. 'It would help if you kicked a little.'

Climbing up the wooden wall along the edge of the harbour, Lorenzo got a firm grip on the lashing ropes and reached down to help haul Haytham out and up onto the dockside. The kindness was quickly repaid as Haytham offered his good hand to help Lorenzo clamber up the slippery boards and planks.  
'Church has at least a day on us…We must move quickly if we're to catch him.' Haytham sighed, wiping the water from his face.  
'We have a ship we can use.' Connor offered, ignoring the disbelieving look he got from Haytham at the mention of the Aquila. 'Meet us on the pier when you're ready.'  
'Now for the long run back to where I cached my gear.' Giovanni groused, pulling off his cloak.  
'This is going to chafe so badly.' Lorenzo sighed, starting off along the dockside at a lope.

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Woken by a chill breeze blowing in through the window, Charles snorted softly and blearily opened his eyes. Lit by the light of the moon, he could just make out a blurry human figure perched in the window frame. Rolling over onto his side, he lit the lamp on the side table and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. With a little more light on the subject, the blurry figure cleared up and he recognised Lorenzo perched there, dripping wet and shivering with the cold.  
'Get inside before you freeze. I will grab you a towel.' he directed, getting out of bed and grabbing one of his towels out of his travelling chest. 'What happened out there?'  
'Church played us all for fools. He fled New York yesterday and left an impostor in his place. Bastards set fire to the place, we escaped by leaping into the harbour.' Lorenzo explained, jumping down and closing the window behind him. 'Sorry about the mess.'  
'Do not worry, I am more concerned about you.' Charles sighed, grabbing his own towel from his earlier bath. 'The tub is empty if you're worried about leaving a puddle.'

Padding over to the big tub in the corner, Lorenzo climbed in and started tugging at his wet clothes, peeling away the layers as quickly as he could while they were still clinging and sticking to each other. Most of the stolen clothes he just tossed at his feet but the cravat he carefully draped over the side of the tub and the pin he handed back to Charles.  
'Do you have to race off again so soon?' Charles asked, collecting Lorenzo's precious bundle from where he'd stashed it in his travelling chest.  
'We're planning on setting sail in the morning to chase Church but I have no place else to be tonight.' Lorenzo shrugged, battling to peel his undershirt off but Charles was there to help him.  
'Are you against staying for a couple of hours? Just to sleep, you look exhausted.' Charles suggested, wrapping one of the towels around Lorenzo's shoulders. 'Not to mention it's warm and dry here.'  
'Considering I was planning on going back to the ship to sleep, staying sounds like a grand idea.' Lorenzo agreed, huddling into the warm towel. 'I had not expected it to be so cool out tonight, getting soaked like that did nothing to help either.'

Unpicking the knots in the bundle Lorenzo had left with him, Charles pulled out his breeches and undershirt, holding them ready as Lorenzo finished undressing and dries off as much as he can. The feather Lorenzo wears in his hair and drooping, slipping out of his hair and Charles reached out to pluck it free carefully, setting it down safely on his own folded clothes without thought for the wet patch that would surely develop.

Knotting one towel around his waist and pulling the other firm around his shoulders, Lorenzo stepped out of the tub and padded over to settle on the low stool in front of the fire, holding his fingers out to the low flames to warm them. Charles had been kind enough to stir the embers and place his clothes over a chair he'd pushed closer to the fireplace to warm them.  
'Here, this should help warm you up.' Charles uttered, crouching behind Lorenzo and wrapping him up in a hug.  
'I must be the luckiest man alive to see this side of you.' Lorenzo grinned, relaxing back against Charles contentedly.  
'No, I'm the lucky one just to have you.' Charles replied, resting his chin on Lorenzo's shoulder. 'I thought no one would ever see beneath my reputation and scars.'  
'I see you Charles. I see the soft heart you hide from this cruel world. I see you and I know that no one else could ever compare.' Lorenzo offered, brushing their cheeks together.  
'Then I hope you never close your eyes.' Charles sighed, humbled by the love and dedication Lorenzo showed him.

Chuckling softly when Lorenzo yawned wide and shook his head slowly, Charles eased the damp towel from his shoulders and grabbed the warmed shirt from the chair, tugging it over Lorenzo's head and standing as the younger man pulled it on properly. Watching over the young man as he stood, Charles took the second towel and turned to drape them over the tub as Lorenzo pulled on his breeches and covered another yawn quickly.  
'Come on, to bed with you.' Charles coaxed, nudging Lorenzo towards the bed in the corner.  
'Gladly.' Lorenzo muttered, padding over and climbing into the still slightly warmed bed.  
'My precious love.' Charles whispered, extinguishing the lamp and stretching out beside Lorenzo.  
'My beloved.' Lorenzo agreed, rolling over and burrowing in against Charles happily.

Laying there in the dark, Charles considered the risks all over again. He knew it was dangerous to allow Lorenzo to spend the night, but with the young man pressed against his chest, one hand clutching at his nightshirt and the other worked under his neck, Charles couldn't find the heart to throw him out again. It was nice to be able to hold him like this, soft breaths tickling his skin through the open collar of his nightshirt. Cradling this sweet young man to his chest, head pillowed in the crook of his elbow and fingers tracing over his back, Charles surrendered willingly to sleep, looking forward to waking up to the sight of Lorenzo's smile.


	8. Home To The Sea

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Home to the sea  
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Look ahead, look a stern,  
Look the weather in the lee,  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
I see a wreck to the windward  
And a lofty ship to lee,  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

O are you a pirate  
Or a man-o-war? cried we.  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
O no! I'm not a pirate  
But a man-o-war, cried he.  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

Belting out the tune to keep the men in rhythm, Giovanni strutted across the deck dressed in his second favourite outfit - his dark blue naval coat fluttering in the breeze as he watched the crew from under his tricorne hat. Originally these outfits had been put together to visually separate them from the men but they had also learned that it helped to disguise their own identities when they all dressed alike. Twice Connor had been kept safe on privateer duties because the attacking ship thought one of his brothers was the true Captain of the Aquila.

Though he had taken the same lessons as his brothers and could captain the Aquila with a confident hand, he was much happier out on the deck leading the shanties and keeping the men focused on their tasks. He left the guns to their officers but the rest of the crew was his to command whenever Connor had the helm. Somehow it just worked between them, like so many of their shared responsibilities and duties.

We'll back up our topsails  
And heave our vessel to;  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
For we have got some letters  
To be carried home by you.  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

For broadside, for broadside  
They fought all on the main;  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
Until at last the frigate  
Shot the pirate's mast away.  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

Perched in his favourite spot near the top of the mainmast, Lorenzo adjusted his hat and kept his gaze sweeping the horizon, seeking any trace of their elusive quarry. From up here, he had the best view of their surrounds and could easily pass warning down to Connor thanks to the shining silver whistle hanging from his left wrist. Only ever worn when aboard the Aquila, he had his own set of calls to warn Connor and Giovanni of threats ahead or ships on the horizon, calls specifically picked out to be unlike anything else heard from the rest of the officers.

Wrapped around his neck, he wore the cravat that Charles had given him, the soft cloth twisted and secured with a flat knot hidden under the collar of his jacket. Though it was a distraction he could ill afford, he hadn't even questioned not wearing it when he went to sea. In return, he'd left Charles with one of the feathers from his quiver, a quick flick of his hidden dagger turning it from a decoration into a perfectly functional writing quill.

For quarters! For quarters!  
The saucy pirates cried,  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
The quarters that we showed them  
Was to sink them in the tide.  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

With cutlass and gun,  
O we fought for hours three;  
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.  
The ship it was their coffin  
And their grave it was the sea.  
A sailing down all on  
The coasts of High Barbary

Mostly ignoring the presence of his father, Connor focused on keeping the Aquila on track, working with the winds and waves to close the distance to the Welcome. Days since leaving New York, his ship flying at her best speed for much of the journey, Connor had a feeling that today would be the day that they would catch up with Church and retrieve the supplies he had stolen. This chase had gone on far too long but there was little that could be done about that.

Reading his ship and the feel of the wind and waves, Connor turned slightly and put his faith in his awakened instincts, confident that he could find the Welcome and deal with any threats to the Aquila, even with the distraction of his father onboard. With his brothers taking over so many of his responsibilities onboard, he could focus on the helm and getting them safely through these narrows littered with visible rocks and probably more beneath the surface.

Catching a signal from Lorenzo, Connor nodded faintly and eased the Aquila around a little more, lining up on the narrow gap among the cliffs. Giovanni was on the move across the deck, giving the crew a little extra encouragement and standing by for any orders from Connor or Lorenzo.  
'I told you this was a poor heading. Church is surely days ahead of us now…' Haytham griped, pacing around to stand off Connor's right shoulder.  
'Have some faith in the boys! They're yet to disappoint!' Faulkner countered, standing in his usual spot to Connor's left.  
'Well the bar's not been set very high now, has it?' Haytham responded, turning to look at Faulkner behind Connor's back.  
'We are closer than you think, father.' Connor replied, hoping to avoid too many problems from having Haytham onboard the Aquila.  
'Ease her off. Half sail!' Faulkner called, reading the hand signal Connor gave him.

Flipping his own whistle up from where it was hanging from his collar, Connor secured it between his teeth and interrogated Lorenzo for more details about their course. The men were used to this back and forth among the brothers and were practised at ignoring much of the whistling that went on among them. Listening to each call closely, Connor nodded and worked with Lorenzo's guidance, swinging their fine ship through the tight confines with ease.  
'Unfurl everything! Full sail!' Faulkner was right with Connor, keeping one eye on his left hand at all times. It had taken them weeks of practise to get this smooth with the signals but they'd cracked it and now it was as if they'd never bothered with repeated orders.

Swinging them around another bend in this tight channel among the cliffs, Connor spared a glance at his father and smirked around his whistle. It was nice to see the older man looked so baffled, he had no idea what was going on but he knew that Connor was in total command of the ship.  
'Ship ho!' one of the men called, pointing out the vessel in the distance as he bounded up onto the railings and tried to get a better look.  
'Lorenzo confirms it's the Welcome and she's dropped anchor.' Connor nodded, letting his whistle drop again.  
'Bring us in for a closer look, son.' Haytham requested, a little less harsh with his words but the direction still rankled Connor.

Easing closer to the Welcome, the crew were all a little disheartened when there was no fight to be had. The Welcome was sitting there abandoned, crates sinking under the small waves around her. They had been eager for a fight, to prove to the landlubber Haytham that their three Captains were highly trained seamen and more than competent to sail the Aquila.  
'It seems the ship has been abandoned.' Connor sighed, careful not to collide with the Welcome.  
'Church always was a slippery little bastard…'Haytham replied, scanning the ship slowly.  
'Enemy ahead!' another man called, drawing attention to the other side of the Aquila. 'They're making to flee!'  
'After them! Full sail!' Connor ordered, slotting his whistle back into place and bringing the Aquila around as the sails were unfurled and they picked up speed.  
'Half sail!' Faulkner called, reading Connor's hand again and spotting where they'd smash the outrigger if it wasn't hauled in.

Back to their usual routine with whistles and hand signals, Connor dealt with the rogue wind that suddenly blew up and kept a sharp ear for any further warnings from Lorenzo about trouble around them. Giovanni had moved up towards the bow a bit more and was now reporting back on their new target ship, calling out their direction changes and sail positions.  
'Perhaps someone with more experience should take the wheel?' Haytham suggested, keeping a firm hand on the railing to stop from getting thrown off his feet.  
'It's not always experience that matters. We trust Captain Connor at the wheel.' one of the gunners replied, looking over from his swivel gun. 'We trust Captains Vanni and Renzo too but ain't no way we'd trust a lubber like you.'

Privately quite pleased with that response from Clark, Connor smiled and focused on another rogue wind, his patience rapidly running thin with this chase and with his father. He took some comfort in the constant updates from his brothers, responding to their guidance to bring the Aquila back under control and onto the tail of their target.  
'How is it you came to captain a ship, given the way you sail?' Haytham demanded, his grip tightening as the ship heaved under them.  
'Steady cap'n; don't let him get under your skin.' Faulkner soothed, resting a steadying hand on Connor's shoulder. 'Just focus on what needs to be done and let him go.'

Clinging tighter to his perch as another rogue wind sent the Aquila heaving over to the side, Giovanni scrambled to get his feet back under his bulk and sent Connor the latest update on the direction of their quarry, adding in details about the rocks he could see and what he could read of the currents from his position. Connor responded with such speed, bringing the Aquila around and fighting through yet another rogue wind.

From his vantage point, Lorenzo caught sight of what Church was really up to and swore, letting rip with a warning call as he grabbed the spare rope that ran the length of the mainmast and slid down as quickly as he could. The last place he wanted to be in the middle of a conflict was up on the mainmast in clear sight.  
'She's passing between the cliffs, boys, and the Aquila's too big to follow. We need to go around!' Faulkner warned, giving Lorenzo a grin as he joined Connor near the wheel.  
'Going around gives us time. There's a bloody Man-of-War hiding on the other side. There could be smaller ships too; I only saw the upper most rigging of that Man-of-War.' Lorenzo replied, shouldering Haytham out of the way.  
'Goddammit! We're going to lose him!' Haytham growled, trying to get back to his spot but Lorenzo kept shoving him back.  
'What other choice have we?! Those rocks would crush us!' Faulkner retorted, his experience so valuable to the brothers.  
'The current here is swift. We still have a chance.' Connor added, feeling the way the Aquila was behaving under him.  
'Load the cannons with grapeshot!' Lorenzo ordered, switching seamlessly from watcher to gunnery master and keeping the stress of Connor's shoulders.  
'Aye-aye cap'n.'  
'Enemy ships approaching!' Giovanni warned, abandoning his position at the bow of the ship.  
'Prepare to return fire!' Lorenzo ordered, giving Connor a reassuring look. 'Brace for impact!'  
'Church is using the ambush as cover. Sink him before he escapes! Send that bastard to the sea floor!' Haytham added, ducking down as cannonballs whizzed overhead.  
'Fire broadside!' Lorenzo barked, popping up again and directing the firepower out into the enemy fleet around the Man-of-War.  
'No. We need his ship afloat. The cargo must be saved.' Connor answered, mostly focused on keeping the Aquila and her crew safe.  
'Now shut up and let us work! With your distractions, we're likely to sink!' Lorenzo warned, hard eyes locked on Haytham. 'If you can't be quiet, get below decks!'  
'Incoming!' Giovanni called, dropping to the deck again as grapeshot whistled through their rigging and tore into their sails. 'We're taking damage!'

Swinging the Aquila around again, swinging away from the guns of the big Man-of-War, Connor lined them up against the smaller schooners and smiled faintly as his cannoneers sent another ship to the sea floor. Coming around again, the starboard side gunners fired and sent two more down before the last of the escorts was taken out by the swivel guns.  
'Switch to chain shot! Chain shot I say!' Lorenzo ordered, eyes locked on the fleeing Man-of-War as Connor swung them around again.  
'Full sail, boys! Full Sail!' Connor instructed, bringing them around to chase after that damned Man-of-War trying to escape.  
'She's turnin' for a broadside Connor!' Giovanni guided, still encouraging the men even as he watched the enemy ship. 'Down! Down!'

Growling low in his throat, Lorenzo regained his feet and eyed the enemy ship as Connor ordered their sails pulled back to half and tried to line up a good shot against the enemy masts. Bracing against another broadside from the enemy, Connor finally managed to get position and Lorenzo couldn't keep the relief out of his voice as he called for the chain shot to be released.

Bringing the Aquila around again, Connor lined up beside the larger ship and drifted in slowly, waiting for the right moment to make his next move. He was distracted for a moment by a scuffle that broke out beside him between Lorenzo and Haytham but now wasn't the time to worry about them. Their prize was in sight.  
'Men, prepare to board!' Connor called, bringing the Aquila alongside the Wan-of-War.  
'Try that again and I'll break more than your nose!' Lorenzo growled, tossing Haytham down the stairs to the lower deck.  
'I do not want to know.' Connor muttered, shaking his head slowly. 'Secure the ships!!'  
'Hook us in!' Faulkner barked, drawing his cutlass. 'Bring her close!'  
'To arms! To arms!' Giovanni cried, backing up the call as he pulled his tomahawk free of his belt.  
'Man the swivels! Cover from the quarter deck!' Lorenzo nodded, pointing Haytham out to Connor as he bounded across the gap and disappeared from sight.  
'Secure the aft lines! Tie off the bow!' Faulkner continued, whipping the men into a frenzy as ropes were thrown and the crew started jumping the gap between the ships.

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Bloodied and aching after a successful battle, the brothers reunited by the stairs leading down into the forward cargo holds and motioned for the crewmen to wait as they headed down into the darkened holds. There were a few holes in the hull letting in natural light and of course the cannon ports were open but it still felt very enclosed and uncomfortable down here.  
'Empty…What has Church done with the cargo?' Connor sighed, looking around at the open space where he'd been expecting to find the stolen supplies.  
'I guess we have to try and find him and hope Haytham hasn't slit his throat yet.' Giovanni shrugged, wiping the blood from his face.  
'That would be his style.' Lorenzo agreed, rolling his shoulders and starting to search for their target in the shadows of the hold.

Heading aft, checking every corner and darkened space for their man, Connor was the first to pick up on Haytham's voice and he whistled softly for his brothers, still tracking the voice as they hurried to join him.  
'So here we are, face to face at last, my friend. It's been quiet an adventure - let me tell you - working my way through your nasty little tricks and traps. Clever. Some of them, anyway. I'll give you credit for that. And for the quietude with which you pulled it off! We had a dream, Benjamin! A dream you sought to destroy! And for that, my fallen friend, you will be made to pay.' Haytham was practically screaming, his temper finally snapping in a most spectacular fashion.

Throwing the doors open with a violent kick and shove, the brothers stood shoulder to shoulder and watched as Haytham continued to punch Benjamin Church in the face, turning it into little more than a bloodied, swollen slab of raw meat. Knowing that Connor still wanted answers, the twins stepped forward and grabbed Haytham, dragging him up and back away from Church.  
'Let me go, you little wretches.' Haytham spat, trying to pull free of their grasp.  
'You can go back to your fun after we have what we want. That's if Connor lets him live.' Giovanni replied, reaching up to apply just a hint of pressure to the old bayonet wound in Haytham's shoulder. 'Now be quiet.'

Crouching beside Church now that Haytham was firmly secured and out of his way, Connor tried a gentler approach to get the information he wanted. At this point, further violence would only serve to frustrate his efforts, he wanted answers and he wanted them now. Perhaps he could even convince Haytham that a gentle touch was the easiest way to get info out of people.  
'Where are the supplies you stole?' he asked, resting one hand lightly on Church's chest.  
'Go to hell.' Church replied, struggling for breath after the beating he got.  
'Hard way it is then.' Lorenzo remarked, glancing at Giovanni for a moment before releasing Haytham and stepping forward.

Stopping behind Connor, Lorenzo shifted his weight and planted one foot firmly on Church's groin, applying just a touch of pressure. This was one of their most effective tricks, very useful when they did not want to leave any obvious signs of torture but still get the results they needed in a short space of time.  
'One twitch and your manhood will permanently be detached from your body. Speak now and you might get to keep it.' Lorenzo warned, ignoring the audible gulp from Haytham.  
'I ask again: where are the supplies?' Connor demanded, completely focused on Church.  
'On the island yonder, awaiting pickup. But you've no right to it. It isn't yours.' Church replied, wisely staying very still under Lorenzo's boot.  
'No, not ours. Those supplies are meant for men and women who believe in something bigger than themselves. Who fight and die that one day they might be free from tyranny such as yours.' Lorenzo nodded, adding just a little more pressure.  
'Are these the same men and women who fight with muskets forged from British steel? Who bind their wounds with bandages sewn by British hands? How convenient for them. We do the work. They reap the rewards.' Church responded, eyes wide in pain at the ever increasing pressure on sensitive areas.  
'You spin a story to excuse your crimes. As though you're the innocent one and they the thieves.' Giovanni scoffed, stepping closer and allowing Haytham to watch their practises.  
'It's all a matter of perspective. There is no single path through life that's right and fair and does no harm. Do you truly think the Crown has no cause? No right to feel betrayed? You should know better than this, dedicated as you are to fighting Templars - who themselves see their work as just. Think on that the next time you insist your work alone befit’s the greater good. Your enemy would beg to differ - and would not be without cause.' Church explained, looking up at the brothers with bloodshot eyes as fresh blood slipped past his lips.  
'Make sure to keep this clean, Lorenzo.' Connor uttered, getting to his feet.  
'Of course.' Lorenzo replied, lifting his foot and moving to kneel beside Church. 'Be at peace, your journey is at an end now.'

Haytham had to admit that the kill was done neatly, Lorenzo's words had covered the soft sound of the blade slipping out of his bracer and he kept it out of Church's sight as he slipped it into his neck and twisted slightly. For a man who had caused so much trouble, Benjamin Church's death was almost peaceful. There was one soft groan and he slipped away, surrounded by enemies from both sides of this infernal conflict.  
'Your words may have been sincere, but that does not make them true.' Lorenzo uttered, closing Church's eyes for the last time.  
'You did well. His passing was a boon for us all.' Haytham offered, resting one hand on Connor's shoulder lightly.  
'No life should be treated so callously, Haytham.' Giovanni corrected, shaking his head slowly. 'Each is a burden that we will carry for the rest of our lives.'  
'There is still some honour in the world, even if you have lost yours. Thomas could have easily given me up when you tried to hang my brothers but he did not. He knew it was his time and he greeted it with open arms.' Lorenzo added, toying with his wolf tooth necklace for a moment. 'I cannot help but wonder if things had been different, might we have been friends?'  
'You have a valid point there.' Haytham allowed, gazing at Connor again. 'Come on. I expect you'll want my help retrieving everything from the island?'  
'Of course. Many hands make for easy work.' Giovanni grinned, heading for the door. 'I'll have Mr Faulkner organise the crew to make space for the retrieved supplies.'

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Under the watch of the moon and stars, the crew of the Aquila dragged the grog barrels up onto the deck and settled in for a celebration, handing mugs around and starting with their bawdy ballads and stories. Perched on the cannons, up in the rigging or just sitting on the deck, everyone was in a grand mood now that the job was done and they were on their way back home. The supplies were safe in the holds, locked away from curious eyes and inventoried by the three Captains so they had a full list to present to Washington when next they saw him.

Perched on the bulwarks near the helm, Connor couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he listened to the celebrations around him, taking his time with the mug of diluted grog Faulkner had handed him earlier. The crew had come to accept that none of their Captains were really interested in alcohol so they always made sure to have a couple of barrels of this particularly weak brew on board just in case.

Glancing to the side when his father climbed the stairs to join him, Connor nodded faintly and raised his tankard in a silent toast, gaze going back to the celebrations. It was really quite nice to stop and relax for a night, far from any real threats and of course there were men on watch, scanning the horizon slowly in case anyone tried to sneak up on them.  
'What's this? No scathing comments on how I run my ship?' Connor asked, spotting his brothers relaxing among the crewmen.  
'Would you prefer we argued on such a night?' Haytham queried, arching one eyebrow elegantly.  
'Not really. The mood is high, the men are happy and we achieved what we set out to do.' Connor replied, sipping his drink. 'Would it honestly hurt for you to relax just this once?'  
'What are you talking about?' Haytham sighed, leaning on the bulwark and turning his gaze to Connor again.  
'Everyone is having a drink and unwinding. Yes, even I will partake occasionally. The crew load a further diluted grog that suits us better than the stuff they drink.' Connor shrugged, offering out his mug. 'The crew don't like this stuff but I find it very agreeable.'  
'I suppose that makes sense. The weaker the brew, the less likely you are to get drunk.' Haytham nodded, taking a sip of the offered drink and finding the taste not as objectionable as he thought it would be. 'I have tasted much worse in the past.'

Shifting on his perch, Connor accepted his mug back and relaxed a little more, finding it easier to stay in Haytham's presence when he wasn't being a total ass. Like this, he was almost friendly, shoulders drooped and back bent as he lent his elbows on the bulwark beside him. When one of the crewmen approached and offered up a full mug to Haytham, Connor was surprised he leant over the bulwark and took the offered drink, thanking the younger man for the drink.  
'Perhaps you are right. It would not hurt to relax for the night. We had a victory today, that's something worth celebrating.' Haytham mused, sipping his drink and listening to the crew as they picked up with another song. 'I would have expected their choice in shanties to be a little less civilised than this.'  
'They know a few like that but most seem to prefer these songs.' Connor nodded, hooking his foot around the nearest turned post and leaning back to hang his hat on the wheel. 'But their favourite time is when the twin's belt out something they've never heard before. I have no idea where they learned those songs but they are always well received.'

Down on the deck, Lorenzo leant over to Giovanni and subtly indicated where Connor and Haytham were relaxing together, talking quietly as they watched over the crew. Putting his mug down beside the cannon he was sitting on, Giovanni turned to whisper a song title in Lorenzo's ear, the question familiar between them. Nodding sharply, Lorenzo put his drink down and stood, a hush falling over the crew as they realised the twins were going to put on another show.  
'Just be patient for a few minutes, we need to grab a few things before we try this one.' Giovanni grinned, looking around the gathering of men slowly.  
'This one is a little bit different to many of the others we've taught you but I have a feeling you will like it.' Lorenzo added, jogging the length of the deck and disappearing into the Captain's quarters.  
'What on earth are they up to now?' Haytham asked, gaze flicking up to Connor again.  
'With those two, you never quite know. I've lived with them all my life and I can only guess at their plans more of the time.' Connor shrugged, putting his tankard aside. 'Either way, this should be an interesting experience for you.'

For a few minutes the ship was nearly quiet, the crew jostling for space and a decent view without saying a word. Under the glow of the few remaining lanterns that had not been extinguished, they waited for the big reveal, wondering what they would learn and not daring to break the silence that had fallen over the ship. Even Haytham realised that this silence was important and held his tongue, curiosity burning at him with every moment that passed.

The door swung open again and Giovanni slipped out but he looked as Connor had not seen him in years. He emerged wearing just his soft hide pants and boots, tomahawk in his hand and bow slung over his bared chest. Hair pulled back in the usual style, he had adjusted his feather to sit up more and had even forsaken his bracers in place of beaded bands none of them had worn for years despite being gifted new ones by Oiá:ner during previous visits to their village. He'd even gone so far as to don a little war paint, not enough to be considered a threat but certainly something that would interest the crew.

Lorenzo emerged a few seconds later, wearing much the same as his twin but he had two feathers to Giovanni's one and carried his old dagger between his teeth, wearing his tomahawk on a beaded belt at his waist. Crouched low, he darted past his brother and moved to take a knee beside the mainmast, dark eyes looking around warily as he took the dagger and clenched it firmly in his left hand in his usual reverse grip.

Looking around at the crew slowly, Giovanni straightened as Lorenzo started a soft rhythm, tapping the hilt of his dagger against the shaft of his tomahawk. It took a few moments but a scattered assortment of the crew picked up the rhythm, tankards tapping against whatever was near them and lifting the rhythmic sound into the night sky. Turning slowly again, Giovanni opened his mouth and started to sing, following the simple rhythm Lorenzo had started.

You think you own whatever land you land on  
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim  
But I know every rock and tree and creature  
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name.

You think the only people who are people  
Are the people who look and think like you  
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger  
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Getting to his feet, Lorenzo left the rhythm to the crew and moved out to join his brother, the pair circling each other and reaching out to the crew with their words. Even without knowing the real timing of this song, the crew were completely transfixed by the pair as they stepped through a slow dance, highlighting what they were singing about with different motions and keeping the crew thoroughly entertained.

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon  
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned  
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Fading back into the shadows, Giovanni disappeared as Lorenzo picked up the song, running lightly across the deck and jumping up onto one of the cannons. Kicking off again, he spun back across the deck, free and happy as he remembered his earliest years being. He had no doubt that the men would understand what they were trying to say, they could not be so certain that Haytham would get the message about how precious the land was and what really mattered.

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest  
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth  
Come roll in all the riches all around you  
And for once never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers  
The heron and the otter are my friends  
And we are all connected to each other  
In a circle in a hoop that never ends

Watching his brothers dance and sing for the crew, Connor considered the words they were putting out and nodded slowly, seeing his own internal struggles in what they were saying. They were subtly pleading for white men to understand the precious nature of Mother Earth and all that she created. This was something their people understood from an early age and always treated the world around them with the utmost of respect.

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon  
Or let the eagle tell you where she's been?  
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?  
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

The crew jumped at the haunting call of a wolf as it filled the air yet stayed behind the power of the two young men singing for a better future. They all smiled too at the subtle mention of the Aquila and her unique figurehead. The brothers had altered the words a little, bringing their sacred animals into it and putting the spin of the female eagle in for the Aquila.

Connor couldn't explain what led him to shed most of his layers and fetch his bow from their cabin but he did it and padded out to join them in his soft hide pants, turning and extending his hands to his brothers. Backs together, they entwined their fingers and lifted the song higher, three voices in a powerful harmony to push their point home. Connor didn't know how he knew these words, they bubbled in his heart and burst forth without thought, locking him in with his brothers and showing that skin colour did not have to matter.

How high does a sycamore grow?  
If you cut it down then you'll never know  
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon  
For whether we are white or copper skinned  
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain  
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

Turning again, the twins tucked in under Connor's arms and looked out across the deck of the ship, eyes turned in the direction of their home village. How they knew where it was at this distance, no one knew. Pressed close, their different skin tones were a little clearer but it was still hard to tell that only one of them had any Mohawk blood in him. 

You can own the earth and still  
All you'll own is earth until  
You can paint with all the colors of the wind

Slowly the rhythm faded away, silence once more descending over the ship and crew aside from the creaking of the Aquila around them. Turning his brothers to him, Connor rested his hands on their shoulders and smiled, a moment of deeper understanding passing between them. From the stern came the sound of a lone man applauding their display, applause that was quickly picked up by the rest of the crew as the brothers turned to Haytham.  
'I doubt anyone can top that. Time for bed, lads. Tomorrow we head for home.' Mr Faulkner called, getting to his feet. 'I will not speak for the men, sirs, but I got the message loud and clear.'  
'I have a feeling that all of the men will be a lot more respectful of the world around them now.' Connor nodded, keeping his brothers tucked close. 'Sleep well men. Tomorrow is another day.'

Stopping to pick up his jacket from where he'd dropped it, Connor guided his brothers back into their cabin and set his bow back in the chest where it belonged while they were at sea. Putting their own weapons away and changing into their nightclothes, the twins climbed into bed and settled quickly, curling up together as Connor tucked them in safely.  
'That was quite a display you put on out there.' Haytham remarked, slipping into the cabin and handing Connor his hat.  
'It had nothing to do with me, I was merely following their lead.' Connor replied, hanging up his hat and looking over towards his younger brothers. 'I have known them for almost fifteen years and still they seem to know things that I do not. It is very strange.'  
'Come to bed, Ratonhnhaké:ton.' Giovanni yawned, lifting his head from Lorenzo's shoulder.  
'I will be there shortly, Vanni.' Connor replied, looking back at his brothers with a grin.  
'We can talk further in the morning, Connor. Your brothers are your priority, I see that now.' Haytham nodded, turning for his cot set up on the other side of the cabin. 'Goodnight boys.'  
'Peaceful sleep, Haytham.' Lorenzo offered, not moving from where he was curled up.  
'Same to you.' Haytham replied, still astounded by how welcoming the twins were to him.


	9. Shattered Bonds

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Shattered Bonds  
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Catching up with Haytham again in New York after a few weeks of working on their own things on the Frontier and around the homestead, the brothers still could not claim to trust him, or even really like him but they had to try and keep the peace. There had been a few arguments among them about how best to approach Haytham with their idea of a peace between their factions. Giovanni doubted it could ever work, Connor held firm to the belief that they had to try and Lorenzo, well he was just hopeful that some sort of friendship could be reached with the Templars. At least if there was a peace between them, he could spend a little more time with Charles without it seeming suspicious.

They found him in one of the hardest hit areas of the city, fire damaged building remains all around them and the people looked disheartened by this war and all the suffering that came with it. Of course Haytham saw them coming and gave a silent warning to stay back for the moment, his focus unwavering from the grimy looking man he was speaking with.  
'We need to know what the Loyalists are planning if we're to put and end to this.' Haytham stated, keeping the man from realising they had some rather dangerous company.  
'I've tried! But the soldiers themselves are told nothing now - only to await orders from above.' the man replied, struggling to meet Haytham's gaze and hold it.  
'Then keep digging. Come find me when you have something worth sharing.' Haytham growled, dismissing the man with a look.

Thankfully the man headed off in the other direction, oblivious to the brothers standing together and waiting for their chance to speak with Haytham. For at least a little bit longer, their presence in the city would go on unreported but for how long that would last, no one knew for certain.  
'We're so close to victory. A few more well-placed attacks and we'll be able to put an end to this civil war and be rid of the Crown.' Haytham remarked, approaching the boys with a faint smile.  
'What do you intend?' Lorenzo asked, thoughts flicking to Charles for a moment.  
'Well nothing at the moment - since we're completely in the dark.' Haytham sighed, turning around slowly and looking up at the heavens as if the answers were in the stars.  
'I thought the Templars had eyes and ears everywhere.' Connor shrugged, noting that Lorenzo seemed a little distracted.  
'Oh, we did. Until you started cutting them off.' Haytham returned, turning back to the siblings.  
'Your contact said orders from above. It tells us exactly what we need to do: track down the Loyalist commanders.' Giovanni noted, nudging Lorenzo sharply. 'Focus, brother. Your head is no use up in the clouds.'  
'My head is not in the clouds. I was merely thinking where we might find these commanders we need to speak with.' Lorenzo retorted, shoving his brother back. 'Just leave off, I'm fine.'  
'If you two…' Haytham started but was silenced by a sharp look from the twins. 'Never mind.'

Tugging his hood forward little more and bowing his head, Giovanni absently toyed with the cravat he was still wearing around his neck, draped low to hide it under his robes. Now things were getting harder, he was growing more concerned for Charles' safety and finding it much harder to keep lying to his brothers to protect Charles. It wasn't that he would ever betray Charles but sometimes he swore his brothers knew he was hiding something. One slip up could see them both killed and that honestly scared Lorenzo.  
'If you need some time…' Connor started, offering his hand to Lorenzo.  
'No, I stand with you brother. There is work to be done and I am ready.' Lorenzo replied, shaking his head quickly. 'Where might the officers be meeting?'  
'I know a place. This way.' Haytham nodded, turning and leading the boys away at a run.

Weaving through the broken and burned buildings and scrambling over the rubble scattered in the streets, the quartet soon abandoned the streets and started up and across the crumbling walls and between the blackened floor joists left behind by the fires. They passed through a few reasonably intact buildings, to the point where a couple of them still had the decorations on the walls. Getting higher and higher, they continued through the ruins until they reached a burned out old church.

Higher still, they gathered again halfway up what had once been a belltower attached to the church and peered down, watching the British officers gathering below them. Stepping out onto a beam just off their platform, Lorenzo inched out to the very end and sunk down, leaning as far forward as he dared in an attempt to get a clear view of the officers below.  
'Have you considered the proposal?' one asked, looking to his companions.  
'I am unconvinced. To reinforce them would leave New York exposed. It's hard enough maintaining order with our current numbers. Cut in half…' another replied, shaking his head slowly.  
'Yet if we do not join them, they risk defeat. And then what?' officer number three added.  
'Well they should have come by sea…' number two argued, unconvinced by what was being said.  
'They're talking in circles. We'll learn nothing, watching as we are.' Haytham sighed, crouched just behind Lorenzo.  
'Then what do you propose we do? March in there and demand answers?' Connor asked, counting Loyalists beyond the church walls.  
'Well, yes.' Haytham nodded, launching off the platform and plunging down to crush two Redcoats beneath him, blades plunging into their necks.  
'Ambush!'  
'Here we go again.' Lorenzo sighed, pushing off and bounding along the remnants of the rooftop.  
'A little help, here?' Haytham requested, severely outnumbered and he knew it.

Launching down from his newer position nearer to the Loyalist officers, Giovanni landed in a crouch and thrust his sword up and forward, tearing into the stomach of a man who came too close. Wrenching his blade free, he grabbed another man and spun, using his new prisoner as a human shield against a firing line. It was a horrid thing to do to another living being really but there was no solid cover available and he had to make the best of a bad situation.

Dispatching the last of the guarding team, the Assassins approached the three officers as Haytham climbed to his feet, wiping the mud from his face after he'd been shoved rather rudely to the ground. Tossing aside their muskets, the brothers bound the officers firmly, mostly just hoping to get out of the rain for a little while.  
'We'll bring them back to my quarters at Fort George and see what secrets they might share.' Haytham guided, coming up behind the brothers.

One of the officers still had a bit of fight left in him, managing to slam his knee into Giovanni's groin and make a break for it. He even managed to slip his binds as he ran, calling for help without looking back over his shoulder.  
'There's always one idiot who thinks he can get away.' Lorenzo sighed, hoisting Giovanni over to lean on Haytham and turning to take off after their escapee.  
'It seems…every time…I get it.' Giovanni groaned, glaring daggers at the two remaining officers.  
'Payback would be within your right, brother.' Connor shrugged, warning the remaining officers with a look.  
'I'll save it…for the real problem.' Giovanni replied, straightening slowly. 'Come on, we'd better get these two moving before they try it.'  
'You two take them, I will go help Lorenzo. He has been off the hunt lately.' Connor nodded, slipping past them and racing after the youngest sibling.  
'Typical, leave me with the boring work while you go have all the fun.' Giovanni muttered, releasing his grip on Haytham's back and straightening. 'Move!'

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Waking with a start, Giovanni couldn't shake the images of the brutality he had witnessed. Kenway had slaughtered the two prisoners without hesitation as soon as they had given up what they knew. Most Assassins at least tried to keep their kills clean but he cared little for the blood he spilled though he was always careful avoid making too much of a mess of his clothes. Even for a Templar, this violence seemed extreme. Not that he knew much about the methods of the Templars, they had been wiped out when he was still just a little boy.

Looking across the moonlit room, he watched Lorenzo sleep peacefully, a faint smile on his face as he dreamed of something less bloodied. Was he perhaps dreaming of a stolen moment with Charles Lee? No, it wasn't possible for him to be in two places and Giovanni clearly remembered seeing him racing after that escaping prisoner. Perhaps though, now that he was awake his brother was dreaming of something different but still part of their adventures in colonial America. He would have to ask Lorenzo about it in the morning.

Still rattled by his dreams and unwilling to risk waking his brother, Giovanni slipped out of bed and quietly padded out into the corridor. He could hear the murmur of his parents talking in their study and thought for a moment about going down and speaking to them about his concerns. It was late and likely they were almost ready to retire anyway so instead he climbed out one of the windows to perch on the balcony and think awhile. He picked his spot carefully, making sure that his parents would spot him when they came upstairs by settling in the light cast by one of the security lights.

Doing his best to ignore the chill wind blowing around him, Giovanni settled on the railing and looked up at the stars, thoughts tumbling around in his mind. For now he kept his mind away from the Assassins and Templars he had learned so much about, instead he drifted towards the homestead and all the people who had come to call it home. Godfrey and Terry the lumberjacks with their wives Catherine and Diana and their four children. Warren and Prudence out on their farm, safe from the British at last. Myriam the huntress and Norris the miner, Lance and his timber creations and of course Big Dave at his forge. Oliver and Corrine at The Mile's End inn, always welcoming and so happy to have a place to call home again. Ellen and her daughter Maria, the clothes she made were simply wonderful and her daughter was always a joy to be around. Father Timothy, guiding the people and dedicating hours of his days to reading the mail that came in for the illiterate members of their big family. Dr Lyle White, a fine doctor even if he did get drunk from time to time and someone would have to carry him home.

So caught up in the memories of the homestead and all the wonderful people he had come to know, Giovanni didn't hear the window creak open behind him or the heavier landing of another man behind him. So when strong arms wrapped around him from behind, he reacted with violent speed, elbow ramming back into his captor as he spun and raised his left hand.  
'Calm down, mio figlio.' Mario growled, avoiding the hand trying to gouge his eyes out. 'You were far too distracted boy, I made enough noise for you to hear me coming.'  
'Be that as it may, you know these dreams trouble us.' Giovanni replied, lowering his hands and turning back to the stars. 'The world we witness is a cruel, dark place at times.'  
'You know you can always come and talk to your mother or I with these things. We might not experience these dreams but we can still help you understand.' Mario offered, climbing up to sit beside him. 'Tell me what is troubling you so much.'  
'I do not even know where to start. Despite the fact they are invaders, the white men treat the natives with scorn and open hostility. It is considered amusing when a white man beds a native woman then abandons her to raise any child resulting from their union. Society looks down on the native people, even more so if they are half-blood like Connor.' Giovanni sighed, turning to regard his father.  
'Are you not considered a white man in these dreams?' Mario asked, flicking the end of his cloak around Giovanni's back to keep him warm.  
'No, we are both considered half-breeds as well. In the dreams, we were raised by a Mohawk woman, Connor's mother, after we were found abandoned in the forest as toddlers. That alone is enough to have us marked as half-breeds, the colour of our skin only makes it worse.' Giovanni shrugged, shuffling closer to Mario and tugging the heavy cloak around his shoulders tighter.  
'Tell me more about your dreams, Vanni. You hardly speak of them anymore.' Mario requested, slipping one arm around his son and drawing him close. 'Preferably something good, now isn't the time to be troubled.'  
'Let me tell you about Davenport homestead then. It's our home now, where we train and the place where we have started our own village of a sort.' Giovanni nodded, resting his head on Mario's shoulder as he launched into the stories of how his friends came to be part of the Davenport homestead family.

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Arriving at Valley Forge, the brothers dismounted and made sure their horses were taken care of before heading to where Haytham was waiting for them. It was no surprise that he appeared irritated for having to wait for them but the brothers were unrepentant, they had other matters to attend to and he simply had to deal with that. They worked on a great number of projects, this alliance with Haytham was just one of their many ventures.

Realising that his brothers were eager to have a little fun after the long ride and stretch their legs properly, Connor nodded and flicked his hand, a gentle smile touching his lips as the pair raced off into the darkening night. They would not go too far from him, just in case he needed them for anything but for now they were free to enjoy.  
'We should be sharing what we know with Lee, not Washington…' Haytham sighed, trudging through the mud with Connor.  
'You seem to think we favour him. But our enemy is a notion, not a nation. It is wrong to compel obedience - whether to the British Crown or the Templar Cross. And I hope in time the Loyalists will see this too, for they are also victims.' Connor replied, stopping and turning to face his father.  
'You oppose tyrant. Injustice. These are just symptoms. Their true cause is human weakness. Why do you think I keep on trying to show you the error of your ways?' Haytham countered, reasonably sure the twins were close by and could hear their conversation.  
'You have said much, yes. But you have shown us nothing.' Connor spat, turning away and heading for the command tent.  
'Then we'll have to remedy that then, won't we…' Haytham remarked, following Connor up the slope towards Washington's tent.

Finding Washington at his command tent, reading over a letter, Connor stopped and smiled again when he saw his brothers playing nearby, darting through a group of soldiers as Lorenzo tried to snatch the stalk of leaves Giovanni had tucked through his belt.  
'Sir.' he greeted, keeping a respectful distance from Washington.  
'Hello Connor. What brings you here?' Washington asked, straightening and stepping out of his tent. 'Without your brothers at that.'  
'They are close, Sir. We do not go far from each other.' Connor replied, letting rip a shrill whistle and turning back to the older man. 'The British have recalled their men in Philadelphia. They march for New York.'  
'You called, brother?' Lorenzo asked, darting over to stand beside Connor, Giovanni a few seconds behind him. 'Good evening General.'  
'Good evening, boys.' Washington nodded, gaze returning to Connor. 'Very well. I'll move our forces to Monmouth. If we can rout them, we'll have finally turned the tide.'

Recognising that Haytham was up to something that was likely to put their alliance in jeopardy, the twins held their silence as he picked up something on the table behind Washington. They kept their gaze on Washington, waiting for Haytham to make his move and minds running through all the possibilities and what each might mean for them.  
'And what's this?' Haytham challenged, picking up the letter he'd been reading.  
'Private correspondence!' Washington snapped, lunging to snatch the letter back but Haytham avoided his attempt.  
'Of course it is. Would you like to know what it says, boys?' Haytham replied, gaze flicking to the waiting trio.  
'We can read, you know.' Lorenzo scoffed, arms crossed over his chest.  
'It seems your good friend here has just ordered an attack on your village. Although attack might be putting it mildly.' Haytham continued, looking up from the letter he was holding, his face grin. 'Tell them, Commander.'  
'We've been receiving reports of allied natives working with the British. I've asked my men to put a stop to it.' Washington admitted but there was no remorse in his voice or posture.

Reaching out, Lorenzo snatched the letter from Haytham's hand and read through it quickly, eyes widening in disbelief and horror as he realised the true depth of Washington's secret hatred of the native people. They might have managed to convince Haytham that the native people had a right to stay where they were but this man was the real problem.  
'By burning our villages and salting the land. By calling for the extermination of all native peoples, according to this letter.' he growled, handing it to Giovanni as he glared at Washington.  
'Not the first time either. Tell them what you did fourteen years ago.' Haytham added, gaze turning back to Washington again.  
'That was another time. The Seven Years War.' Washington countered, his focus locked on Haytham for the moment.  
'And so now you see what happens when this "great man" when under duress. He makes excuses, displaces blame. Does a great many things, in fact - except take responsibility.' Haytham snapped, getting right into Washington's face.  
'Enough! Who did what and why must wait! Our people come first.' Giovanni barked, cutting through the tension growing between Haytham and Washington.  
'Then let's be off.' Haytham replied, turning to the boys.  
'No. We are finished.' Connor growled, resting a restraining hand on Lorenzo's shoulder.  
'Son…' Haytham started but Connor was tired of being lied to by almost everyone around him.  
'Do you think me so soft that by calling me son I might change my mind? How long did you sit on this information? Or are we to believe you discovered it now? Our mother's blood may stain another's hands but Charles Lee is no less a monster, and all he does, he does by your command!' Connor roared, his patience with his father at an end. 'A warning to you both - choose to follow us or oppose us and we will kill you.'

Before anyone could move, Giovanni and Lorenzo stepped forward, cocked back their right fists and let fly two devastating punches. Lorenzo caught Haytham in the nose, sending the older man back a good couple of feet before he crashed down in the mud. Giovanni sent Washington back and down, actually managing to send him through the flimsy wall of his command tent.  
'That should keep them out of the way for at least a couple of hours.' Lorenzo smirked, turning to Connor. 'Come on, we have to hurry.'  
'I just hope we're not too late.' Giovanni worried, whistling for their horses and shooting the nearby soldiers a warning look.

Mounting up quickly, the brothers pushed their horses up into a canter and raced out of the Patriot camp, heading for the old growth forest that surrounded their village. Riding hard, they kept a sharp eye out for any Patriot messengers on the trail and cut down any that they saw to hopefully block Washington's message from reaching any soldiers gathered near their home.

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Not quite sure why Lorenzo had just gone tearing out of the village in a blind rush, Giovanni and Connor traded worried looks but they couldn't spare the time to chase after him. They had to stop Kanen'tó:kon and the warriors from dragging their village into this war. They had known that Charles Lee was trouble, but this was going far beyond anything they had expected him to do. For now though, they had to get out there and stop the warriors from causing more trouble than their village could handle.

Hurrying out of the village, Giovanni cut left as Connor broke right, the pair running up the valley slopes to find the warriors Lee had tricked into action. Catching up with one, Giovanni grabbed him from behind with a sleeper hold, knocking him out and lowering him gently to the ground. Oiá:ner had told them that Kanen'tó:kon had taken six of the best warriors in the village with him so the odds weren't too severely outnumbered.

Plunging through the undergrowth, Connor tackled another of the warriors out here and knocked him to the ground, rendering him unconscious with a sharp blow to the head. Rolling the warrior over, Connor leant him up against the tree and moved on, tracking the sounds of the other warriors and trying to think of the best way to handle this mess.

Continuing to move through the undergrowth, Giovanni dropped another of their warriors and placed him gently in a nest of bushes to keep him safe and out of danger. Digging deep to find new energy hen he just wanted to sit down and rest, he tackled a third warrior and knocked him out before setting him in a branch pile to sleep for a while.

Knocking out another warrior armed with a rifle, Connor hid the weapon in a thick patch of bushes and placed the man into a different area of thick bushes to sleep off his anger. Scaling the cliffs near his position, he grabbed a third and thrust him forward, knocking him out against the tree in front of them. Lowering him down into the safety of a branch pile, he moved on again just as he heard the call from Giovanni. Six warriors had left the village with Kanen'tó:kon and with this latest knock-out and Giovanni's call, Connor knew they'd caught all six.

Jumping down from his vantage point, Connor hurried to meet up with Giovanni and discuss their next step. They had to find Kanen'tó:kon and stop him, before anyone else got killed by these stupid lies Charles Lee had been spreading. Running through the undergrowth, he suddenly realised there would be no time to talk about a plan, he'd already found Kanen'tó:kon and there was no sign of Giovanni. Making his choice, Connor approached their boyhood friend in the hopes of calming the situation before it got any further out of hand.

Grabbing Kanen'tó:kon from behind, Connor was forced to let him go and leap back to avoid the familiar dagger Kanen'tó:kon had brandished as he turned. So much for a peaceful end to this, it was clear that he intended to fight and he didn't care who his opponent was.  
'Peace Kanen'tó:kon!' Connor tried, hoping to avoid a fight when there were bigger concerns.  
'Ratonhnhaké:ton. Come to kill me yourself?' Kanen'tó:kon asked, keeping his dagger up and starting to circle.  
'What?!' Connor blanched, horrified by that accusation.  
'Charles Lee told me everything. The Patriots seek to destroy us. And you would aid them.' Kanen'tó:kon continued, nothing but hate in his eyes.  
'That man is a liar!' Connor protested, deeply hurt that his oldest and dearest friend could turn against him so easily.  
'He said you had been corrupted. That you would try to deceive. But here they are on our doorstep. What say you to that?' Kanen'tó:kon scoffed, refusing to even listen to reason.  
'It is a mistake!' Connor was starting to get desperate, he did not want to make this choice.  
'The only mistake was trusting you would help to keep us safe. They have seduced you. And you are turned against your own kind.' Kanen'tó:kon spat, his anger riled and it was all aimed at Connor.  
'Kanen'tó:kon, stop!' Giovanni yelled, perched in a tree above them with his bow drawn and targeted on his back.  
'I will. When you are both dead.' Kanen'tó:kon replied, spinning his knife in his hand and lunging at Connor again.

Loosing his arrow, Giovanni offered up a quiet prayer for his old childhood friend as the arrow slammed into his back and drove him to his knees. Shouldering his bow again, Giovanni climbed down and ran to Connor, reaching out to grasp his arm as they looked down at Kanen'tó:kon on the grass. It felt terrible to stand over their dying friend, they both remembered so many great times growing up in the village with Kanen'tó:kon and the others.

Kneeling, Giovanni pulled the arrow out and helped to roll their old friend over so he was securely held in Connor's arms. The anger was still in his eyes, clouded now by pain but the brothers could not forget those innocent times so long ago.  
'My passing wins you nothing, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Charles Lee rides for Monmouth to reveal the Patriots' plans. The Loyalists will destroy them. The revolution will be ended. The Crown victorious. Out people…safe.' Kanen'tó:kon uttered, his gaze still hard but he was at least accepting of Connor's hand wrapped securely around his own.  
'It seems our people will never be safe.' Giovanni uttered, hanging his head sadly.  
'You are resting now, my friend.' Connor whispered, such sorrow in his eyes as he closed Kanen'tó:kon's eyes for the last time. 'How could we have let this happen?'  
'This is not our fault, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Our mistake but not our fault. We underestimated how sneaky Charles Lee could be, we knew he could talk people into doing anything and we did nothing against him.' Giovanni replied, resting one hand on Connor's shoulder. 'We should at least take Kanen'tó:kon back to the village for a proper funeral.'  
'The elders will blame us for his death.' Connor sighed, looking at his brother. 'They will see that we are punished for this crime.'  
'So we do not go back into the village. At least though, we can leave him where someone from the village will surely find him.' Giovanni nodded, hand shifting from Connor's shoulder to rub at his cheek. 'He deserves that much for the memories he left us with.'  
'Charles Lee will pay for this.' Connor growled, anger flaring again.  
'Now is not the time for talk of revenge, Ratonhnhaké:ton!' Giovanni warned, not surprised by the outburst but it was inappropriate beside the body of their fallen friend. 'First we take Kanen'tó:kon home, then we plan on how we will deal with Charles Lee.'

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Finally catching up with Charles, guided by a blind instinct that he could not understand, Lorenzo abandoned his horse and took to the trees, running through the branches until he was right over Charles as he allowed his horse to drink. Launching from his perch, Lorenzo tackled Charles off his mount and down into the water, his sudden appearance startling the fine black gelding and sending it galloping away into the distance as they splashed into the middle of the creek.

Dagger out and clutched firmly in his left hand, Lorenzo grabbed a handful of Charles' cravat and shirt, dragging his head out of the water. For a few moments they just stared at each other, angry brown meeting startled blue.  
'Give me one good reason why I should not slit your throat for what you did.' Lorenzo growled, his rage burning deep within his heart. 'I know what you did at my village! I know you were there and tried to make my people a target!'  
'I was trying to keep them safe! I know they are important to you and so I told them of the Patriot camp in the area. Had the Loyalists been in the area, I would have given away their position too.' Charles replied, keeping his hands in clear sight and away from Lorenzo. 'I knew about the orders Washington had given and was trying to stop it!'  
'Why did you not just stay out of it? You had to think that we would get wind of it and come back to help our people deal with the problem.' Lorenzo pushed, refusing to be fooled by Charles again.  
'I had no idea where you were and how long it would take for you to get there. I had to act or there would have been no village for you to return to. Check my saddlebags, I took the written orders from three scouts I killed.' Charles replied, glancing over to find his horse had returned. 'Rain is a good horse, he always comes back to me after a startle.'  
'You realise your actions have given my brothers another reason to kill you? You dared to defile our home with your presence, Connor will gladly slit your throat for that.' Lorenzo sighed, releasing his dagger and letting it slip away back up his sleeve. 'Why not just give them new orders, I know you have a strong position with the Patriots.'  
'Because the men talk and word would have gotten back to Washington. I could not risk a trial and punishment while there is still work to be done.' Charles replied, sitting up as Lorenzo pushed to his feet. 'I was just trying to help you, as much as I know I will pay for it once Haytham realises.'  
'He's going to be far too interested in stringing up a certain pair of Assassins to be worried about what you've been doing. I gave him a solid smack in the face, knocked him back a few feet and flat on his back. One hit and he was out cold in the mud, blood all over his face. My guess, I broke his nose and probably knocked a couple teeth loose.' Lorenzo grinned, helping Charles to his feet.  
'Now that is bound to put Haytham in a foul mood towards you. Perhaps he will not be so worried about my actions.' Charles nodded, striding out of the creek and starting to pull of his jacket. 'You could have at least waited until I had moved away from the water.'  
'I probably could have waited but I was angry. I honestly feared you were just playing with me to get at the secrets I carry.' Lorenzo sighed, helping Charles pull of his jacket and wring the water from it. 'I realise now that I was wrong to doubt you.'  
'No, you had every right to doubt my actions. You had no way to be sure who gave the order for me to go to your village.' Charles corrected, turning to his horse and opening one of his saddlebags to pull out a ragged cloth. 'I would offer you some dry clothes but…'  
'I will dry fairly quickly, these robes do not tend to hold the water.' Lorenzo shrugged, far more concerned about his bow than his clothes.

Drying off as best he could and concocting a story that would hopefully avoid any awkward questions when he arrived at his next camp, Charles sunk down on the fallen log beside Lorenzo and tugged him close, still in awe of what they were building. Of course he had tried courting women before but they always looked at him with disgust or pity, taking in his scars and making excuses to leave. There had been a few meetings with men in the shadows of the night but those had never meant anything. Then there was Lorenzo, a young man who could see beyond his scars, beyond the things he had done and find the gentler side of him.  
'Just promise me you will stay away from my village. I will try and redirect Connor away from hunting you down but you have to tread carefully for a while. Stay out of his reach, leave the area if you have to but put some distance between us.' Lorenzo pleaded, looking up at him with deep sorrow. 'I cannot lose you now, I love you.'  
'I cannot run, as much as it makes sense to get away while he is distracted. People would notice, rumours would start and eventually I would be found. I will not abandon you, our separations hurt enough as it stands now. To leave you behind while I fled like a coward…I could not handle that pain.' Charles sighed, wrapping Lorenzo up in his arms. 'I love you so much. I can hardly bear to walk away anymore.'  
'We could run together, go west and stay away from people as much as possible. Or even across the ocean, back to your lands. Surely no one would follow us that far. Even Connor would have to admit that you were out of his reach if we went that far.' Lorenzo tried, desperate to keep Charles safe from Connor's wrath.  
'What life is that, Lorenzo? To be constantly on the run, looking over our shoulders and waiting for either side to find us. No, we must be patient and wait out this storm. Our chance will come, this fight cannot last forever. I trust you Lorenzo, I will never seek the death of your brothers and I know you will do your best to convince them my death would only cause more pain.' Charles soothed, hoisting Lorenzo into his lap. 'We will get what we seek, we just need to be patient.'  
'I don't know how much longer I can do this. I know what we share is a risk, I know there are people who would see us hang if they knew about us. But just once, I wish we could spend a night together and not have to worry about the coming dawn. I don't want another night when I have to climb out the window as the sun rises to keep up both safe, I want to be able to stay safe in your arms and watch you wake up as the sun washes over us.' Lorenzo replied, burrowing into the safe warmth of his love.  
'Shhh, I know Lorenzo. I want that too, I would like nothing more than to hold you safe through the night and wake with you sprawled out over me like you did that one perfect night in New York.' Charles nodded, rocking slowly as they sat there. 'And when that time comes, we'll settle down somewhere together and build a house of our own. I know little of living beyond a city or military camp but surely you could show me how.'  
'It would not be easy with just two but we could do it.' Lorenzo grinned, his dark mood lifting a little as dreams of the future filled his head. 'Somewhere near water and good hunting grounds.'  
'That's it, just keep thinking about the future and the pain of the present won't seem so bad. We can get through this, our love is stronger than hatred.' Charles nodded, treasuring this peaceful moment with Lorenzo.  
'It has to be.' Lorenzo agreed, cupping Charles' cheek and tugging him down for a soft kiss.

They could have easily passed the entire day sitting in the forest, stealing kisses and getting better acquainted with each other but they both knew that would be a bad idea. Drawing back a little, Lorenzo sighed softly and wriggled out of Charles' embrace, straightening his robes and stooping to pick up his bow.  
'I should get out of here before we get spotted.' he uttered, slinging his bow and settling it comfortably against his back.  
'When might I see you again?' Charles asked, getting up and wringing out his jacket again.  
'I don't know. I keep listening for any mentions of you near our location and try to reach you when I can. Keep your ear to the ground for any mentions of our activities, I will linger in each area for a little while afterwards in the hopes of seeing you again.' Lorenzo replied, climbing up onto the log and helping Charles with his jacket. 'Where are you heading next?'  
'I ride for Monmouth now and after that, I do not know. I go where I must to complete my various tasks.' Charles shrugged, turning to embrace Lorenzo again. 'Be safe, I love you.'  
'I love you too. I will give you a head start, likely my brothers are headed for Monmouth as well.' Lorenzo replied, reluctantly letting him go and whistling for his horse. 'Be careful, my love.'  
'I will make sure to keep my distance, you have my word.' Charles promised, swinging up into the saddle. 'Until next time.'


	10. Pushing Hard

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Pushing hard  
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Listening to the sounds of cannon fire in the distance, Connor and his brothers looked across the deck of the Aquila from their vantage point onboard one of the French vessels preparing for battle in Chesapeake Bay. The crew were eager for the fight, their working songs drifting on the breeze as they made final preparations and waited for their officers to return.  
'Lafayette promised me a fleet beyond compare, and a captain without peer! Instead I find myself greeted by one old ship and three boys in costume!'  
'I promise you, we're all you need Admiral.' Giovanni replied, glancing towards their ship.  
'She might be old but the Aquila is still one of the fastest ships around.' Lorenzo added, proud of their crew and ship.  
'I doubt this very much. But beggars do not choose, hmm?'  
'And the ships we require?' Connor asked, refusing to be drawn into a debate on who had the better ship and crew. He would let the battle to come prove that.  
'They are yours…provided we survive this.'  
'And what would you have us do?' Giovanni asked, still watching over the crew as final preparations were made.  
'Hold the bay while I engage the main fleet. Should any British ships dare approach, destroy them. They must be kept from Yorktown.'  
'It will be done.' Lorenzo nodded, a well known and worrying smirk on his lips.

Turning as one, the brothers strode across the French deck then turned back and looked towards the rigging of the Aquila beside her. This was likely the biggest jump they'd ever tried but they could not be said to be cowards. Racing across the deck of the French ship, ignoring the baffled look from the Admiral, they bounded up onto the bulwark without loosing stride and launched skyward, soaring out towards their ship.

Reaching out with both hands, Lorenzo snagged the rigging and started up as Giovanni landed on the barrel of one of their cannons and vaulted the bulwark and Connor landed not three steps from the wheel of their fine ship.  
'Just when I think I've seen it all…' Faulkner muttered, handing over the helm to Connor with a grin. 'I have never seen an officer board any vessel like that.'  
'When has there ever been a ship like the Aquila? A special ship deserves a unique crew.' Connor shrugged, glancing at Faulkner with a grin. 'Besides, the Admiral was rather arrogant towards the Aquila, her Captains and her crew.'

Sails filling, the Aquila pulled away from the larger vessel and charged into the battle, quickly reeling in the French defender fleet and slipping in between the two other vessels as the pasturing of the fleet left the vicinity.  
'Herod all handsaws! Hell has manifest upon the sea. How many do you reckon?' Faulkner exclaimed, looking around at the shipwrecks littering the bay.  
'Too many.' Connor replied, flipping his whistle up and calling for a report from Lorenzo.  
'If anyone can hold the line, 'tis us. I only hope the Admiral's quick to return.' Faulkner nodded, fully aware that he would likely dream of this fight for many years to come.  
'Enemy approaching!' now the crew at the rails could see the enemy ships coming close and Connor had a dark feeling that this fight was going to hurt a lot.  
'Alright men - make ready for war!' Giovanni called, counting the approaching sails. 'Brace!'  
'Ready yourselves!' Lorenzo barked, dropping down from his usual spot. 'I count eight ships in this wave, all easy pickings for the Aquila!'

Splitting into their usual sailing rhythm; Connor at the helm, Lorenzo directing fire and Giovanni watching for threats, the Aquila plunged into the battle at half sail, her first broadside sinking three even as Connor rammed another and broke the spine of ship number four. Signalling the swivel gunners, Lorenzo claimed another as Giovanni gave warning of another incoming broadside.  
'Five more ships have entered the fight, frigates this time.' one of the crewman called, drawing Lorenzo's attention to the newly arrived ships.  
'Kiss the deck!' Giovanni howled, dropping flat to avoid the incoming grapeshot.  
'Last ship left.' Lorenzo grinned, keeping one eye on the remaining frigate as Connor swung them around again.  
'The Marseillois has been sunk! Take care…' another crewman warned, turning away from the sinking vessel just off their port stern.  
'Brace! Brace' Giovanni called again, ducking as yet more cannonballs and grapeshot skimmed the Aquila from both sides. 'I count at least four more.'

Confident in the skills of his brothers, Connor paid only minor attention to the firing orders and warnings being shouted across the deck as he tried to sail the Aquila through the fight with the minimum damage possible. And well, if he ran straight over another, smaller ship in all the chaos, it was all part of the battle out on the open water.  
'Frigates! Multiple!' one of the men bellowed, drawing attention to their next fight.  
'Well, I guess we can take some comfort in the fact there are only three.' Lorenzo remarked, holding on tight as Connor swung them around again.  
'We have taken damage and our remaining escort is not looking so grand either.' Faulkner warned, turning to look at the remaining French ship out here to help them.  
'We have no other choice, Mr Faulkner. We must press on.' Connor nodded, lining up on the British ships sailing towards them.

Taking a chance with the swivel guns, Lorenzo called for the starboard gunners to open fire and laughed as they somehow managed to fluke a shot right through the hull of one frigate and blow her powder hold, lighting up the battlefield with another fireball as the enemy ship started to sink.  
'Incoming!' Giovanni cried, sending the crew to the deck again.  
'Fire broadside!' Lorenzo ordered, jumping back to his feet once the heated steel had passed them.  
'Careful captain.' Faulkner warned, wincing as one of the remaining frigates slammed into the side of the Aquila before Connor could pull her away.  
'Full sail!' Connor snapped, glancing at Lorenzo for a damage update.  
'We lost a couple of port covers and scraped paint but no major hull damage.' Lorenzo briefed, confident of the reports coming in from his watchers.

Jostling with the Saint Esprit for position, Connor waited for the last British frigate to pass the French frigate before swinging around to come along side her. Giving the order for another broadside, Lorenzo nodded as the last ship went down in a blaze of failure, men jumping overboard as fire raced across the decks.

Bringing the Aquila around again, Connor got in behind the Saint Esprit and followed her across the waves, trusting in his instincts for the ocean when they warned of trouble ahead. They could hear cannon fire ahead and could see the French frigate just ahead, but there was nothing they could do as she caught fire and sunk rapidly beneath the waves.  
'We're on our own now, sir.' Faulkner sighed, wishing they could stop and render aid to the crew now in the water.  
'Half sail!' Connor called, bringing the Aquila around to cut across the sunken bow of the French ship. 'Vanni! Renzo! Cast out for survivors!'  
'We have to find whoever sunk the Saint Esprit, Connor.' Lorenzo replied, already busy tossing out three ropes kept ready for overboard rescues.  
'We can spare a few minutes to hook out some of these men. The Admiral will surely be grateful for that.' Connor nodded, keeping the Aquila close to the French ship as he circled and waited for at least some of the men to make it across.

The crew pulled together to help as many as they could, even the gunners on the lower decks played their part in attempting to fish out the French sailors. The cannons were rolled back out of the way and men would lean out the open gunports, reaching down with ropes or just their hands to pull their fellow sailors to safety. Space would surely be tight with these extra men onboard but it was worth the effort to gain more favour with the French Admiral for the next part of the plan.

Eventually though, Connor was forced to admit they had waited long enough and eased away from the wreck, the last few survivors clinging to the hull and ropes as the Aquila pulled away. Dragged through gunports and over the rails, the French sailors were ushered below decks out of the way as the fine ship Aquila picked up speed and raced into the next battle to come.  
'Where are our blasted reinforcements?' Faulkner growled, horrified by the sheer number of wrecks hidden by the thick smoke out here.  
'They will come. We must hold on until they do.' Giovanni replied, helping to guide a wounded man down to his companions below decks.  
'This is madness! All alone and without reinforcements!' Faulkner sighed, not liking their odds but he had to trust his officers.  
'We will get through this, Mr Faulkner. We have no other choice.' Lorenzo shrugged, watching over the guns as the Clutterbuck brothers made sure everything was ready for the next battle.  
'Man-of-War! Christ! Man-of-War's on us!' up went the cry from one of the watchers, pointing to barely visible sails off their port side.

Knowing full well that the Aquila was no match for a Man-of-War, Connor tried to swing her clear of the guns of the much larger ship, mind whirling for another solution to this new problem. Before he could even open his mouth to call for Giovanni and Lorenzo to throw out an idea, cannonballs were splashing into the water right beside the Aquila before several smashed through her gunports and skimmed low across the top deck, smashing through their cannons with painful ease.  
'Give me a count!' Lorenzo cried, looking around for the Clutterbuck brothers.  
'Port side all gone!' Richard replied, turning to Lorenzo with flash of fear in his eyes.  
'All down to starboard.' David added, giving light to just how bad their situation was.  
'We've no way to defend ourselves now! If you're going to do something, make it big Connor!' Lorenzo nodded, confident Connor would come up with something.  
'That beast is sure to sink us if we're not careful.' Faulkner warned, a little wary of the looks the three brothers were swapping but there was little he could do.

Making his choice, Connor spun the wheel and pulled the Aquila around, bearing down on the Man-of-War in the hopes of pulling of one of the most daring plans he'd come up with ever. Ignoring the mutterings from Faulkner about his actions, Connor called his brothers up to join him and ordered half sails again, bringing them around to line up against the much larger ship.

Closing the distance fast, Connor twitched the wheel just a little and scraped along the portside of the larger ship, scraping paint and giving the crew a chance to take a few shots at anyone they could see onboard the Man-of-War beside them. Handing command of the Aquila to Faulkner again, the brothers sprinted the length of the deck and jumped, disappearing into the smoke of battle all around them.

Climbing up the hull of the Man-of-War, they vaulted the railings and charged, swords and daggers flashing as they stepped into their battle dance. So perfectly in tune, the twins took on the crew in mirrored movements, hacking the British sailors to pieces with every step. Breaking away from his brothers, Connor weaving through the carnage to find the Captain of this vessel and get rid of him. Avoiding musket fire and dozens of men arms with a variety of weapons, Connor found the captain running towards the bow and tackled him, slitting his throat with an almost casual flick of his wrist before tossing the body overboard.

Pushed back by sheer weight of numbers, Giovanni and Lorenzo ended up back-to-backs with Connor, the three of them looking around for another way out and starting to wonder if maybe this hadn't been such a bright idea. Then Connor spotted it and grinned faintly as he pulled out one of his pistols and took aim on the powder barrels he could see through a breach in the deck.  
'Run astern.' he uttered, firing on the barrels and securing his pistol as he turned.

Staggering and stumbling as the mighty ship heaved from the power of that explosion, the brothers broke into a run again, scrambling over the debris in a mad dash to get off this beast before she really went sky high. Vaulting fallen timbers, Giovanni was first to the railing and launched across the gap, Connor and Lorenzo moments behind him.

All eyes were on the three men as they soared across the distance, coats flaring out behind them as they plunged towards the unforgiving deck below. No one could believe it as all three cleared the railings and thudded down onto the deck, rolling to safe stops amid the carnage onboard. Amazed by the display, a great cheer went up as the brothers picked up their hats and stood, Lorenzo looking up at the Man-of-War they'd just taken out.  
'You mad bastards…' Faulkner remarked, handing the wheel back to Connor.  
'Go big or go home, Mr Faulkner.' Giovanni laughed, swiping his hat from Connor's head and handing over the one he'd picked up. 'Next time, remember yours hasn't got that shot hole in it.'  
'The French are coming!'  
'Little late on that one.' Lorenzo muttered, leaning on the railing beside Connor. 'Here's hoping the Admiral will hold to his word.'

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Running out a rope bridge between the two ships, Giovanni and Lorenzo oversaw the offloading of the French sailors they had picked up, even going so far as to help carry the wounded across the bouncing bridge to the safety of the French warship. They had saved so many, the Aquila had almost been at breaking point with so many extra bodies onboard but still they felt as if they could have done more. They hadn't even tried to grab anyone from the Marseillois, the battle had been too fierce to risk it but hopefully the Admiral would understand that.

Standing by the end of this unsteady contraption his brothers had come up with, Connor helped the men over the railing and carried the wounded to the waiting arms of their comrades, feeling good about what they had achieved. The Aquila was badly damaged and would require expensive repairs and another refit to get back to her best but Chesapeake Bay was secure and they had proven their worth to the French.  
'That's the last of 'em Sirs.' Faulkner called, standing by at the lower end of their bridge.  
'Thank you Mr Faulkner.' Connor nodded, waiting for his brothers to finish setting down the last crewmembers they had carried across the fragile structure.

Shoulder-to-shoulder, the brothers walked over to where the Admiral was waited, a stunned look on his face at the number of French sailors rescued from the ocean by this single, old ship and her three young officers. They might not have had years of experience on the ocean but they certainly had the loyalty of their crew and a lot of courage to do what they did.  
'They say you took down that Man-of-War all alone. Perhaps Lafayette did not exaggerate when he spoke of your abilities. As promised, my ships are yours to command. What do you require?'  
'Five of them must enter New York's harbour, flying British flags.' Giovanni replied, looking at his brothers with a grin.  
'Wait, wait. I thought you might need some pirates killed or goods transported…And instead you ask for us to, what, shell New York?'  
'No. Of course not. Only part of it.' Lorenzo smirked, one eye on the Aquila as the crew made running repairs to her so they had the best chance of getting home.  
'Explain yourselves.'  
'We mean to infiltrate Fort George. But it is too well-guarded. Cannon fire will breach its walls and scatter its guards.' Connor explained, his confidence unshakeable that they could pull this off.  
'And a ship that flies the French flag could never get near it…'  
'You understand, then?' Connor nodded, ready to finally face Lee and end all of this.  
'Not at all. But a promise is a promise - even when made to three lunatics.'  
'You don't even know the half of it Admiral.' Giovanni shrugged, slipping his hat off and scratching at his hair. 'We specialise in the impossible.'  
'One of us will light a signal fire when it is time for you to attack.' Connor added, eyes drifting over the Aquila to search for another landing spot.

Still as energetic as they always were, the brothers once more ran across the French deck and bounded out over the open water, but this time they had a little help from their own crew. Up in the rigging, three of their crewmembers release ropes weighted with stones, sending them arching out to meet their captains across the wider gap between ships. Grabbing hold, the brothers were carried safely to the deck of their ship, once again leaving the French stunned with their antics.  
'Mr Faulkner, we will disembark New York then you shall take the Aquila home for repairs. I do not know when we will be back at the homestead next so you will have to take her to Martha's Vineyard for new cannons.' Connor instructed, releasing his rope and striding over to take the wheel again. 'Best she be far from New York harbour when this goes down.'  
'Dare I ask what it is you are planning, sir?' Faulkner asked, leaning against the railing lightly. 'Full sail boys!'  
'We're going to use the French ships to shell Fort George while we slip in through the tunnels. It's going to be a maelstrom in the harbour as the British try to work out who is friendly and who is not out there.' Connor explained, smiling as his brothers ran up to join him.  
'You three really are mad bastards. To infiltrate the Fort while there is shelling going on, it's suicide.' Faulkner blanched, wondering if maybe this would be the last time he sailed with Connor and his brothers.  
'That is a risk we're going to have to take. Lee never leaves that place anymore, we have to get to him instead.' Lorenzo shrugged, hiding his fears down deep and hoping no one noticed.

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Ducking and diving to avoid the incoming cannon fire from the French ships in the harbour, Giovanni led his brothers through the chaos they had unleashed, heading for an access corridor he had cleared while Connor was lighting the signal fire and Lorenzo was quietly assassinating as many guards as he could to give them more space to work. All three know that it would only take one misstep for this plan to end in diaster but they keep moving, plunging deeper into the fort.

Stepping out of a house they'd taken a shortcut through, Giovanni managed to avoid the worst of the hit but Lorenzo and Connor were thrown to the ground by the force of a cannonball tearing through the building they had just exited. Gasping for breath, Connor was first to push back to his feet as Giovanni helped Lorenzo up and made sure both his brothers weren't too severely harmed.  
'I am in no condition…to fight…need to stay…away from the guards…' Connor panted, bruised and weakened by several close calls on his run back to his younger brothers.  
'Then let me fight in your place. You know I am skilled enough and we are close enough in stature and skin that no one will know any different. You and Lorenzo can be my backup instead, just in case I need help.' Giovanni suggested, looking around for any more threats in the area.  
'Go…fight hard…brother.' Connor nodded, slinging one arm around Lorenzo's shoulders for support before he fell again.  
'I will, brother.' Giovanni replied, turning and heading deeper into the fort.

Hunching his shoulders and limping in an attempt to appear weaker than he really was, Giovanni stalked through the besieged fort, determined to find Lee and put an end to most of this insanity. There was still a chance that with his powerbase gone, Haytham could be reasoned with and the war ended but Giovanni held little hope for such an easy end.  
'Where are you, Charles?' he called, putting a deep growl in his throat.  
'Gone.' Haytham replied, somewhere behind Giovanni.

Whipping around, Giovanni barely even had time to think about the fact Haytham was here instead of Charles before the older man was on him with a flurry of heavy blows. First a punch to the face, then a knee to the guts and an elbow to the back of his shoulder and Giovanni went down, mentally horrified by how easily he'd been knocked do the ground. Pushing up just as quickly, he got to his knees and let rip with a savage blow of his own, knuckles crunching into Haytham's groin before he bounded to his feet.

Backing up his first hit with a stunning shot into Haytham's nose, Giovanni had a second to be amused by the fact it was crooked to the right a little before Haytham was on him again. Trading blows back and forth, Giovanni caught Haytham's left arm and spun, forcing it up behind his back and threatening dislocation of the shoulder is Haytham wasn't careful.  
'Come now, you cannot hope to match me, Connor. For all your skills, you're still but a boy - with so much left to learn.' Haytham groaned, every movement sending fire up his arm as the pressure on his shoulder increased.

Shoving Haytham away without letting go of his wrist, Giovanni spun out his hidden dagger and plunged it deep into Haytham's forearm, twisting the blade as he pulled it free to further open the wound. Letting out a cry of pain, Haytham staggered back and dropped to one knee, right hand wrapped over the deep wound as he glared at Giovanni, standing tall and unbroken in front of him.  
'Give me Lee!' Giovanni demanded, still clutching his bloodied dagger.  
'Impossible. He is the promise of a better future. The sheep need a shepherd.' Haytham replied, pulling a length of cloth from under his jacket and binding the wound.  
'He has been dismissed and censured. He can do nothing for you now.' Giovanni growled, still playing up his false wounded state but he doubted Haytham would continue to believe that.  
'A temporary setback. He will be restored.' Haytham sounded so confident as he stood again, his wounded arm tucked protectively to his waist as he drew his sword.

Eyes narrowing dangerously, Giovanni slipped his tomahawk into his right hand and tightened his grip on his dagger, ignoring the sudden appearance of his brothers behind Haytham. Connor had promised that this fight was his and Giovanni would not move aside until it was done. Against Haytham or Charles, it didn't matter. This was Giovanni's fight and there would be no stopping until one of them was dead.

Dropping the act now that he had provoked the fight, Giovanni skipped clear of Haytham's first charge and turned, hooking Haytham's ankle and tripping him into a pile of crates. Keeping his distance as Haytham staggered back to his feet, Giovanni smirked and led him around again, catching his sword and grabbed his jacket to throw Haytham into a table. Circling again, Giovanni caught Haytham off guard again, willingly trading another blow to the face for a chance to grab Haytham and throw him into a barrel.

Watching from the sidelines of the fight, Lorenzo was grateful that Connor was too beat up to jump into the fight. Instead he was sitting quietly by Lorenzo's feet, gathering his strength for anything else to come. So far Giovanni was handling the fight with reasonable ease, battering Haytham's sword aside and picking up a rum bottle only to smash it across his face and send him stumbling back again.

Heart in his throat as he watched his older brother fighting Haytham, Lorenzo nearly ran into assist but Connor seemed to know what he was thinking and reached out to curl one arm around his leg and settle closer to him. Nodding slowly, Lorenzo untangled Connor's grasp and sank down beside him, wrapping one arm around Connor's back. Both brothers cried out in shock when a cannonball landed close to the brawling pair and sent them both flying.

Ears ringing, Giovanni rolled over with a pained groan and dragged his aching body over to where Haytham had landed. That last throw had definitely rattled him, he was aching all over and really would have preferred to curl up and sleep until it stopped hurting but he had volunteered for this fight and would not quit.  
'Surrender and I will spare you.' Giovanni groaned, slipping out his hidden blade.  
'Brave words from a man about to die.' Haytham countered, grabbing Giovanni's left wrist and flipping him onto his back as he straddled the younger man.  
'You fare no better.' Giovanni replied, refusing to be cowed even now.  
'Even when your kind appears to triumph…Still we rise again. And do you know why? It is because the Order is born of a realisation. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world be as it is. And this is why the Templars will never be destroyed!' Haytham ranted, wrapping both hands around Giovanni's neck.  
'Forgive me, Connor.' Giovanni gasped, flipping out his hidden blade again and thrusting it up into Haytham's neck.

Watching Haytham stand, Lorenzo feared for the worst as he stood and dragged Connor up, the pair hurrying over to get a better view of the situation. Lorenzo relaxed a little at the sight of the wound in Haytham's neck and dropped to one knee beside Giovanni as Connor stared at his father and wondered if maybe he could have changed this outcome.  
'Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand.' Haytham uttered, one hand pressed to the bleeding wound in his neck as he stood there.  
'I do not understand how you could be so blind.' Giovanni sighed, getting to his feet with Lorenzo's help and rubbing at his throat lightly as Haytham dropped back to his knees.  
'Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction. Strength. Courage. All noble qualities…' Haytham continued, looking up at the brothers and realising who had had actually been fighting. 'I should have killed you long ago.'

Swaying on his knees, Haytham collapsed to the bloodstained ground, blank eyes staring up at the sky. Clutching at his aching ribs, Giovanni eased to one knee beside Haytham's cooling body and offered up a prayer as he reached out to close Haytham's eyes.  
'Forgive me, Connor.' he repeated, looking up at Connor as he tipped Haytham's hat forward to cover his face.  
'I knew this was coming. You are not to blame, Giovanni.' Connor replied, helping him to his feet again. 'We should leave this place. The guards are sure to come looking for Haytham again.'  
'At least the bombardment has stopped, we will have a better chance of getting away.' Lorenzo nodded, helping to support Giovanni as they hurried away from their latest kill.


	11. Last Round

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Last round  
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Holding perfectly still as Connor finished shaving off most of his hair and binding the remaining into a short tail before attaching his now three feathers, Lorenzo had to keep forcing his thoughts away from Charles and their secret meeting during the night. It was out of his hands now; he just had to try his best to keep Connor and Giovanni from slaughtering Charles and guide them to see reason on the subject. He doubted it was possibly though, Connor was hell bent on seeing Charles dead at his feet.

Turning when Connor put the knife down, Lorenzo dipped his fingers in the bowl Giovanni was holding and reached up to smear three lines of war paint down Connor's right cheek as Lorenzo marked his left cheek in the same pattern - black, red, black - almost down to his jaw line. Handing the bowl to Connor, the twins dipped again and marked each other with a similar pattern but instead of two black lines, they wore two red lines with a central black.

Picking up the smaller bowl on the table, Connor stirred the white paint briefly before wiping two slightly inward curving lines on their chins, shaping them to look something like long vicious fangs. In truth, the twins had never earned a war paint design of their own and Connor could not say for certain how he had but it felt right to wear this pattern and colour for their final battle.

Rinsing the paint off their hands, the brothers started to pull on their robes, mentally preparing for what was sure to come. Charles now had the full strength of the Templar Order behind him; it would be harder to get at him now that he was leading the Templars in the area. They at least knew where to find him; word had reached them that he was to give the eulogy at Haytham's funeral in New York. This would be the best time to strike.  
'I see now why ours is an eternal war. For each piece taken from the board, another is placed upon it.' Connor sighed, pulling on his under-robes and doing them up neatly.  
'Back and forth we go. Across the world. Across the ages. Some days, it feels an impossible task.' Giovanni nodded, shouldering into the heavy robes that defined their position.  
'We cannot afford to be consumed with doubt. The people need us. Now, more than ever.' Lorenzo replied, gathering up his weapons and securing them in place.  
'We must stop the Templars. We will kill Charles Lee.' three voices in unison as they pulled up their hoods and left the hideaway they'd been using in the city.

Taking to the rooftops, Lorenzo took the lead across them, bounding fearlessly from one point to another in an attempt to reach the funeral on time. They aimed to be in position as Charles started the eulogy, moving amongst the people and preparing to strike. Giovanni also carried a small carved stone to place on the grave, a remembrance that at one point, Haytham had been one of them but life had turned and he had been stolen away.

Connor had argued about placing the stone, forcing the twins to explain the Kenway line and the secrets they had discovered while on solo missions. They told him of Edward Kenway, Connor's grandfather, a pirate and an Assassin. They spoke of his death when Haytham was just a child and how he had then been taken in by the very men who had been behind the killing of his father and raised as a Templar. After hearing the story, Connor had been more willing to accept the stone and even asked to be the one to place it but Giovanni had said it was his duty as he had been the one to end Haytham's life. Connor had accepted that, though it wasn't hard to tell it was weighing on him heavily still.

Getting as close to the church as he dared, Lorenzo signalled Connor and climbed down as Giovanni took the long way around to sneak the stone onto the grave so all could know the truth of Haytham Kenway. Any Assassin in the future that found this stone would understand that Haytham had been taken by the Templars but in death returned to the Assassins because their symbol was closer to him heart. Of course, this would only work if Giovanni could get to the grave and bury the stone before he was spotted.

Landing lightly behind a timber fence, Lorenzo and Connor strode purposefully towards the cemetery, ready to play their part in getting the stone into the grave and eventually getting their shot at Charles. For now, it didn't matter that the pair had completely different motives for getting Charles alone, they were not going to risk anything in front of a crowd, their reputation was already shaky and it would be stupid to risk turning the people against them completely.

Emerging from their hiding spot, Connor moved a half step ahead of Lorenzo as they approached the cemetery proper, paying little attention to whatever Charles was saying as he stood right beside a fresh new grave. The people were really on edge, moving away from the two Assassins in an attempt to avoid trouble. The brothers mostly ignored the crowd though, they weren't even particularly concerned abut the four armed regulars now standing behind them. They were both completely focused on Lee and their two separate missions.

Waiting for Charles to fall silent, Lorenzo moved back in front of Connor and slowly approached Charles, determination flashing in his eyes. Grabbed by a couple of the regulars keeping watch, Lorenzo offered no resistance as they grabbed him and one yanked his hood off before they marched him over to stand before Lee. Connor had also been grabbed and revealed, now standing beside him glaring daggers at Charles.

Moments later, two more regulars appeared, dragging a struggling Giovanni between them. He calmed when he saw his brothers had already been taken and slapped on a defiant sneer as he too was forced over to stand before Charles Lee. Shaking off his captors, Giovanni straightened his back and glared at Charles, oblivious to the second set of plans revolving around today.

Wary of the look Charles gave to the men standing behind him, Connor let out of grunt of pain as one struck him hard behind the knee, numbing the area and he dropped, his brothers landing beside him seconds later.  
'He sent me away -- That day at Fort George. He feared for my safety. I should have stayed. He said there was no danger.' Charles remarked, looking down at the three men as he toyed with the amulet Haytham had given him.  
'He was wrong.' Connor replied, unconcerned even though he was on his knees.  
'And so are you.' Giovanni added, glaring up at Charles. 'It wasn't Connor that killed him. No, I claim his death and wear it etched into my bracer.'  
'Not helping.' Lorenzo muttered, hoping to avoid having to make a mess here.  
'I will kill you all. This, I swear. Not here, though. Not today. No…First - first I'll destroy all you hold dear. I'll burn that homestead of yours to the ground - and roast the severed heads of your precious "founding fathers" in its flames. And when I've finished with them, all the rest will burn as well. Your merry band of Assassins. The human refuse that lives on your land. Your village and its people. All of it - gone!' Charles ranted, his anger building and Lorenzo winced inside. All of this was not helping him convince his brothers that Charles was not a monster.  
'You can try, Charles. But as with all your schemes, this too will end in failure.' Connor replied, staring up at Charles without fear.  
'You are the last one left, we will have your head before the week is out.' Giovanni growled, refusing to give up their quest to end the Templars.  
'Get them on their feet.' Charles ordered, burying his relief when Lorenzo smiled faintly.

Not even offering token resistance as he was hauled up, Lorenzo kept his gaze locked on Charles' face, clinging to their shared promise of survival through this challenging situation. They had to hold tight to their love if they were ever going to see the peace and freedom they so often dreamed of enjoying.  
'They will wait. They will watch. And then - when they've seen all their life's work brought to ruin…Only then will I allow them to die. Take them away.' Charles snarled, leaning in close to Lorenzo and risking a faint smile.

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Following their information that Charles had fled to Boston then tracking him to the harbour, Connor was first to spot Charles trying to book passage away from the city and took off after him when the older man turned and broke into a run. Dodging the fires from gunpowder barrels Lee shot as he was escaping, Giovanni scrambled up onto the rooftops in an attempt to overtake Lee as Lorenzo leapt into the water, swimming hard to cut Charles off from the other side.

Reuniting, the brothers continued the chase without hesitation, following Charles into the half-built ship sitting by the waterside, flames lapping at its timbers. They caught sight of Charles for just a moment before the fires burned through a section of timbers and their path was blocked. Scattering once more, the brothers continued the chase through the burning maze, scrambling up the hull and swinging from ropes in all conditions to try and get back on Charles' tail.

Getting outside the ship again, Lorenzo took a flying leap off an upper deck and landed on a beam just in front of Giovanni but Connor was streaking away in front of them, gaining ground on Charles with every step. Digging deep, Lorenzo pushed on, refusing to think of what might happen if he was too late to stand between Connor and Charles when the pair finally was face-to-face. Scrambling up the side of the hulk again, he sprinted across the upper deck and launched off the other side, crashing down and rolling to a safe landing right behind Connor and just in front of Giovanni, right where he wanted to be.

Side-by-side, the brothers bounded across another beam and landed behind Charles but almost as soon as their boots hit the timbers, the entire area collapsed, dropping all four back into the burning ship. Of all the cries of shock and pain that rang out as the group hit the still intact timbers, one rang out louder than all the others.

Finding new strength when he just wanted to rest, Charles threw the broken timbers off his back and crawled over to where Lorenzo had landed, a familiar looking tomahawk imbedded deep in his right thigh. Deeply concerned for his young love, Charles sat beside him and gently cradled his head in one hand, checking for a pulse and letting out a breath when he found it.  
'Charles, love, help me…' Lorenzo uttered, starting to shake as he looked up at his beloved.  
'Shh, save your strength Lorenzo. I'm here, I'll take care of you.' Charles soothed, tugging his cravat pin free and tossing it aside.

Straining to heave a heavy board off his back, Giovanni half sat up and watched in breathless horror as Charles pulled his cravat free and worked to slip it under Lorenzo's bleeding thigh, pulling another pained cry from his lips. Offering soft words, he grabbed both ends and twisted them together, pulling hard on the cloth.  
'Leave him alone!' Giovanni called, trying valiantly to get to his feet but his left leg refused to support his weight and he crashed down again.  
'Get away from him, Charles!' Connor demanded, pulling a length of rounded timber from his abdomen and partly rolling over.

Ignoring the angered Assassins for now, Charles kept pulling on the now blood stained white cloth, trying to get it as tight as was humanly possible in an attempt to save Lorenzo's life. Every pained sound tugged at him, he hated to hurt Lorenzo but he had to keep going if Lorenzo was ever going to survive this. Getting the cravat as tight as he physically could, Charles sat back and shrugged out of his jacket, flicking it out onto the deck beside Lorenzo.  
'This will hurt, my love. I have to get you off that weapon, I can do no more while it is buried in there.' he whispered, leaning over Lorenzo and lightly stroking his cheek.  
'I trust you. Do what you must.' Lorenzo nodded, leaning into the gentle touch.

Guiding Lorenzo to sit up and lean into him, Charles slipped one hand under his right knee and eased it up, a few stray tears falling as Lorenzo screamed in pain. Trying to keep him calm, Charles kept lifting until the heavy head of the tomahawk slipped free with a squelch, revealing the true extent of the damage done. Tightening his grip and making sure Lorenzo was properly supported, Charles lifted him fully and shuffled forward, easing him down on his jacket.  
'Might need…to heat seal…prevent more blood…loss.' Lorenzo uttered, clinging to Charles desperately. 'Heat a blade…press it to…the upper end…seal the blood…'  
'Rest, I will keep you safe now.' Charles promised, grabbing a board lying nearby and unpicking the knot holding Lorenzo's sash tight.

Slipping the board under Lorenzo's thigh and knee, Charles used the sash to bind it firmly into place before wrapping him up in the jacket and gathering him into his arms. One last look at Connor and Giovanni, Charles nodded faintly then turned and hurried away with Lorenzo, desperation fuelling his every step.  
'Hold on Lorenzo, just hold on. I cannot lose you, not now. Hold on, just please hold on for me, my love.' Charles coaxed, hurrying through the wreck to find the right spot to work.  
'You must…seal the…wound.' Lorenzo panted, fighting to stay conscious. 'Take me to…homestead …Dr White…good man.'  
'I will, just hold on for me Lorenzo. Just hold on.' Charles nodded, emerging from the ship and hurrying towards one of the nearby shipwrights. They would have the fire he needed, hotter and safer than the fires burning freely in the ruined ship they had escaped from.

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Snapping awake with a gasp, Lorenzo bolted upright in his bad and looked around, flashes of his dreams still running around in his head. Throwing the blankets aside, he reached down in the dark, shoulders drooping as he reconfirmed he still had his right leg. Fingers drifting across the skin, he could feel the thick scar left by that part of the dream, running right across the back of his leg just above his right knee.  
'Renzo?' Giovanni muttered, sitting up in his bed. 'It's just a dream, it can't really hurt us.'  
'I know, it just rattled me a bit is all.' Lorenzo nodded, pulling his hand away from the newest scar on his skin and hanging his head. 'I didn't mean to wake you Vanni.'  
'Its okay, Renzo.' Giovanni soothed, getting up and padding over to curl up around his brother. 'At least I know you're okay, I was shocked to see you hurt like that.'  
'But not shocked to see juts how far I'd made it with Charles?' Lorenzo asked, relaxing back against his brother contentedly.  
'I admit, I was amazed to see that side of Charles. But I think the real challenge will be if you can build any sort of peace between Charles and Connor. No doubt he will still want him dead.' Giovanni grinned, relieved for the reminder that Lorenzo was really okay.  
'I'm sure I'll figure something out. Hopefully I can build peace between them and see the end of the war.' Lorenzo nodded, glancing towards the window and the first fingers of dawn starting to appear. 'I guess there isn't much point trying to go back to sleep.'  
'What's the bet madre will freak out when she sees your newest scar?' Giovanni chuckled, in no real hurry to let go of Lorenzo and start the day.  
'No bet, I don't intend to show that one just yet. Everyone would prod for answers.' Lorenzo shrugged, disentangling from Giovanni's embrace reluctantly. 'Soon but not yet.'

Getting up and shedding his pyjama top, Lorenzo stretched and flinched when some of his dream scars protested the movement. Most of them rarely bothered him but there was a couple on his back that warned him of their presence every time he twisted the wrong way. He noticed that his newest one was also aching but he was able to hide the minor limp that kept trying to develop from it.  
'Do you suppose babbo is troubled by his scars anymore?' Giovanni asked, rubbing at the split in the middle of his top lip.  
'Perhaps but he has had many years to learn to ignore those little aches and pains.' Lorenzo shrugged, digging out some clean clothes and dressing quickly. 'I was thinking of getting a tattoo when we're old enough.'  
'What would you get done?' Giovanni asked, tugging on his shirt and pulling his hair out of his collar. 'And where?'  
'The Aquila at full sail, right across my back. I'd even see if I could get recognisable figures put on it - Connor at the wheel with Mr Faulkner beside him and you standing tall at the bow, talking with the Clutterbuck brothers as I keep watch from the crows nest.' Lorenzo chuckled, dreaming big like usual and picturing the finished piece on his skin.  
'Now that would be awesome.' Giovanni agreed, coming around behind his brother. 'I can just see her, sailing off on another adventure somewhere over the horizon.'


	12. Fragile Peace

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Fragile peace  
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Looking around frantically, knowing time is of the essence, Charles can't tell one track from another now that he is out here and Lorenzo is no longer able to provide directions to the homestead. The young man is tucked safely against Charles' chest, soaked in sweat and shivering with cold as fever raged through him. Charles had tried everything he could to keep Lorenzo going, desperate that this would not be their ending. Now though, it seems as if hope has slipped away.

Turning his horse when he heard a voice behind him, Charles could only hope the minister riding up to them could lend assistance. Lorenzo was slipping away, moaning incoherently as Charles adjusted him in his lap again.  
'Could you point us to where we might find a Dr Lyle White?' Charles asked, tucking his coat tighter around Lorenzo.  
'Of course, this way.' the minister nodded, bringing his horse up beside Charles and pointing down one of the paths. 'It is not too far to his home from here.'  
'Thank you.' Charles nodded, relief flooding him as he tapped his horse after the minister. 'I just hope we are not too late.'

Gaze snapping down at the sound of a pained groan from Lorenzo, Charles tried once more to make him comfortable but he honestly feared that all his efforts would be for nothing. Lorenzo was so pale, he'd barely spoken a word since leaving New York, except to mumble vague directions and roughly point to where they had to go.  
'I will go ahead to make sure Lyle is ready for you. Just keep following this trail, you should see his house from the next rise.' the minister guided, pointing ahead once more.  
'Thank you again.' Charles nodded, pushing his weary horse up into a trot and trying to keep Lorenzo comfortable as the hurried towards the help he desperately needed.

Cresting the hill the minister had pointed out, Charles spotted two men down below and forced Rain to pick up his pace, determined not to fail Lorenzo now. Tossing his head, Rain made his exhaustion known but he pushed on, picking up the pace as if he could understand what Charles was pushing so hard for.

Bringing his horse to a stop in front of the two men, Charles eased out of the saddle and adjusted his grip on Lorenzo again, relieved to feel his laboured breath against his jaw. The ride had been long and hard but at last, they had reached a safe place and Lorenzo would finally get the medical care he needed.  
'Quickly, this way.' Dr White guided, ushering Charles towards the tent set up nearby. 'Father, would you mind seeing if you can find Diana. I will likely need her help.'  
'Of course not, I saw her earlier.'  
'Just set him down there and let me have a look.' Dr White continued, pointing to one of the cots set up in the tent.  
'The wound is severe Doctor, Lorenzo refused any other doctor but you and so I did what I could to ensure he survived the journey.' Charles warned, sinking to his knees and settling Lorenzo down safely. 'Tomahawk into the back of the right leg, it slipped from Connor's belt and wedged between two boards.'  
'I will try to save his leg but I make no promises.' Dr White nodded, standing back and watching as Charles removed the heavy jacket from around Lorenzo before moving back. 'Perhaps it would be best if you wait outside, you look exhausted.'

Nodding dumbly, Charles tossed his jacket over his shoulder and left the tent, slumping down on a crate just outside. Right now, he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept properly or even eaten more than a few quick bites from the rations he always tended to keep in his saddlebags. He knew he should get up and tend to Rain, at the very least pull the saddle off and put him out on a picket line but he was too close to falling asleep to even consider moving.

Bundling his jacket to his chest, relaxing into the scent of Lorenzo mingled so intimately with his own, Charles sagged against the barrel beside him and was quickly asleep, snoring into his chest as he finally allowed his exhausted body the rest he needed so badly. His last semi-conscious thought was for Lorenzo, clinging to life just yards from him.

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Arriving back at the homestead at last, Giovanni kept a firm hold around Connor's waist as he guided their horse straight to Dr White's home, knowing full well that Connor needed medical attention but he had stubbornly refused all but the most basic of aid until they returned home. But as they neared Dr White's home and workspace, Giovanni noticed a familiar figure slumped outside the hospital tent.

Hoping that Connor would not make this hard, Giovanni stopped their horse beside the tent and jumped down, reaching up to help Connor slide off and supporting him as they hobbled in to see Dr White and get their injuries treated properly. Connor didn't even notice Charles slumped against the barrel, he was too busy trying to stay on his feet.

Guiding Connor down onto an empty cot, Giovanni turned and felt his breath catch at the sight of Lorenzo on another cot, tucked up under a blanket with a glaring inconsistency. Swallowing the bile in his throat, Giovanni sunk to his knees beside his precious twin and untucked the blanket, needing to be absolutely certain of what he was seeing.  
'I am sorry Giovanni.' Dr White offered, taking a seat on the cot behind him and reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. 'The wound was severe, there was nothing I could have done.'  
'You damned fool. If you had only stopped to get help in New York instead of trying to make it home.' Giovanni sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'I doubt it would have helped, Giovanni. The wound was extremely deep, any doctor with any sense would have done exactly the same thing. His lower leg was already dying, gangrene had set in and so, to give him the best chance at surviving the injury, we were left with little choice but to amputate.' Lyle sighed, leaning forward a little more. 'If there had been any other option, you know I would have done so.'  
'I can only hope Lorenzo can adapt to this.' Giovanni sighed, reaching out to stroke Lorenzo's cheek. 'Unfortunately there's no time for you to rest. Connor was impaled on a wooden pole at much the same time as Renzo was injured.'  
'And what about you, Giovanni?' Lyle asked, getting to his feet and moving to stand over Connor's limp frame. 'Let's have a look at the damage done, Connor.'  
'I got off lucky this time. A sprained ankle and some fairly impressive bruises but otherwise I am fine. One of our friends in New York bound my ankle before we left, I can wait until you're ready.' Giovanni replied, smoothing the blanket back over Lorenzo and standing. 'I will get out of your way and let you get on with Connor. I will also see that Charles is safe, he is clearly exhausted after his trek to get Lorenzo home.'  
'Ah, so that's his name. He never had a chance to introduce himself when they arrived.' Lyle nodded, most of his attention on getting Connor undressed so he could examine him.

Slipping back out of the tent, Giovanni walked over to the horse standing near Charles and reached out to rub his neck lightly. Talking softly to calm the horse, Giovanni loosened and removed his saddle, placing it down on the ground near the tent before putting the dark horse out on a line to feed safely. Removing the saddle from his own mount and putting that down beside the first, he stroked the grey mare lightly as he picketed her out to eat and rest as well.

Only once the horses were eating peacefully together did he turn back to where Charles was just starting to stir, shifting a little and trying to find a more comfortable position to continue sleeping. Crouching beside him, Giovanni reached out and gently shook Charles, ready to duck back if he took a swing but he seemed far too tired. He just groaned and shifted again before one pale blue eye cracked open.  
'Renzo?' Charles mumbled, barely even functional.  
'No, Giovanni.' he replied, finding a soft smile for Charles. 'I want to thank you for bringing my brother home.'

Backing up a little as Charles shifted to sit up and rubbed at his eyes, Giovanni chuckled softly as he got a chance to glimpse whatever it was that his twin got to see in Charles Lee. For a few moments, he was a helpless, half-asleep shadow of his usual arrogant self. It didn't last though and after a few minutes of waking up, Charles was eyeing him with a deep suspicion.  
'You should be relieved to know Lorenzo is going to survive, but Dr White had no choice but to amputate his leg.' Giovanni sighed, reaching out to rest his hand over Charles' lightly. 'But he is alive because of you. I could never have gotten them both home without help.'  
'That is good news.' Charles nodded, looking down to their touching hands. 'I admit, I am surprised to still be alive. You had a perfect chance to kill me without a fight and yet you did not.'  
'There is no honour in that. Besides, I know how special you are to Lorenzo. I might not know all of the details, and I honestly prefer to keep it that way, but I can see that you are precious to him and that's what really matters.' Giovanni shrugged, shifting to sit on the grass. 'For Lorenzo, I will offer peace. He is my blood and I will do anything to see him happy.'  
'You knew…you could have so easily seen me hang and yet…' Charles blinked, unable to wrap his mind around what he was hearing.  
'I had no proof, only a feeling that Lorenzo had found the other half of his spirit. Either way, I would never do anything to hurt Renzo. He is my blood, I want him to be happy.' Giovanni replied, looking up at Charles with honest eyes, the truth written across his face. 'If that means I have to keep you safe from Connor, then so be it.'

Dropping his gaze, Charles nodded slowly as he slipped off his Templar ring and turned it over in his fingers. He knew he couldn't keep it anymore, he had to put away his faction ties for good if he wanted any sort of a life with Lorenzo. But even so, this was one of the last strong reminders he had of the team that had once called him brother.  
'I want that peace, I want to share my life with Lorenzo and live out my days far from the fighting. But at the same time, I am reluctant to throw this aside, this ring has become a reminder of the friends I have lost and not the Order I once served.' Charles sighed, turning it over in his hand again. 'I miss them so much. William, Jonathon, Thomas and Haytham. Never really got along with Benjamin so knowing he's gone isn't so bad but the others…I miss them all.'  
'I have no complaint about you keeping it, so long as what you say is true. But not on your finger, such a blatant display of your previous allegiance will certainly cause tension.' Giovanni shrugged, digging through his pouches.  
'I have no intention of going back to the Templars. I promised Lorenzo that I would walk away from everything just for a chance to be with him.' Charles replied, not even looking at the ring as he toyed with it. 'I had not realised how hard it would be to let go of such a powerful reminder of my friends.'

Finding the cord he kept in his pouches for running repairs on all sorts of things, Giovanni cut off a length and reached out to pluck the ring from his hand. Pushing to his feet as he threaded the ring onto the cord, he reached out and tied it securely around Charles' neck. The cord was long enough to hide beneath his shirt but not so long as to possibly slip out between the buttons and be seen in public. Hopefully it would be good enough to allow Charles to keep this one reminder of his past.  
'Keep it out of sight and you should avoid too much trouble over keeping it. If anyone argues, tell them I gave my blessing for you to keep it as a reminder of lost friends and nothing more. I hear of any suspicious behaviour and this ring goes in the forge.' Giovanni warned, fingers tugging on the cord sharply. 'Understood?'  
'Just a reminder of absent friends, I understand.' Charles nodded, tucking the cord and ring out of sight as soon as Giovanni let it go.

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Heading towards the inn for a drink and a chance to check up and see how their newest arrival as settling in, Father Timothy was greeted with a surprise as he approached the Mile's Rest. The door swung open and with a great heave, someone was tossed out rather violently, skidding in the mud and finally stopping several yards from the door.

Pushing up slowly, he staggered back to his feet and looked over his shoulder at the building, the moonlight glistening on fresh blood on his lips and pouring from his nose. Shoulders slumped, he started to limp away from the inn slowly, clearly in great pain after his beating. There was only one man in the area that was likely to get such a reaction from the locals and that really wasn't fair.

Catching up with the limping man quickly, Father Timothy reached out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder, shocked to feel the flinch under his fingers. Slowly the other man turned to him, revealing the heavy bruising already blooming across his face and the swelling that had almost completely closed his right eye.  
'I never had a chance to introduce myself earlier. I am Father Timothy, local minister.' Timothy offered, pulling out his handkerchief and pressing it to the split in his lips. 'What happened in there, if you do not mind my asking?'  
'Charles Lee, though right now I wish I was anyone else.' the other man sighed, hissing at the light touch against tender flesh. 'Some of the townsfolk recognised who I was and refused to listen to reason. They cannot see that I am trying to make amends for the wrongs I have done, they only see what I did to hurt so many.'  
'Did you try to tell them that you're the reason Lorenzo is still with us?' Timothy asked, turning the name over in his mind to work out why it sounded so familiar.  
'I tried, that's what got me this split lip.' Charles shrugged, shaking his head slowly. 'They all accuse me of being a murderer and a liar. I admit I've done a lot of wrong in my life but I'm trying to make up for it.'  
'So you were just going to walk away and leave them thinking these things of you?' Timothy nodded, finally recognising the name and all the ugly things associated with it. 'If it helps, I am always available to hear your confessions.'  
'Thank you Father.' Charles replied, allowing Timothy to guide him towards a chair outside the inn to sit and rest his aching body.  
'Where were you planning on spending the night? I have a spare room you could use.' Timothy offered, tipping Charles' face into the light thrown by the lamp hanging above them.  
'I thought I'd go back to Dr White's and spread my bedroll there near the tent. I just want to be sure Lorenzo is okay.' Charles uttered, pushed to the brink and just about ready to crack.  
'I know for a fact Lyle has a couple of spare rooms, there is no need to sleep on the ground.' Timothy corrected, refolding his handkerchief and wiping up the blood from Charles' nose. 'Would you like me to try and explain things to the others? They'll listen to me, they know I would not try and lead them astray.'  
'You can try but I doubt it will help.' Charles allowed, accepting the help to clean up but also wondering when he might be able to slip away. 'These people just don't want to understand.'  
'It is worth a try, the Lord works in mysterious ways.' Timothy remarked, guiding Charles to hold the bloodied cloth to his nose. 'You just wait here, I will see what can be done and then take you back to Dr White for a final check before some much needed sleep.'

Too tired to argue, Charles just let his head tip back to rest against the wall and closed his left eye, somehow managing to find a position that didn't make his ribs or back ache from the beating he'd taken inside. He used to think he could handle a bit of fisticuffs, even if it was four against one but that brawl inside had really knocked him around. For now he put it down to exhaustion, he'd pushed hard to get Lorenzo to safety and it had affected him more than he wanted to admit.  
'oh look at you, Mr Lee.' a kindly female voice startled Charles out of his near doze and he jumped, almost falling off the chair but a strong hand caught his arm and pulled him back.  
'No wonder Father Timothy is concerned about what happened.' the man clutching at his arm added, shaking his head slowly. 'I am Oliver and this is my wife Corrine. We own the inn.'  
'I do apologise about that table. I will find a way to pay for the damage.' Charles offered, looking up at the pair as best he could.  
'We don't really care about the table, we're far more worried about you.' Corrine replied, tutting softly as she looked at his bloodied face. 'At least come back inside and allow us a chance to thank you for bringing Lorenzo home. He is such a key part of our lives here.'  
'Very well.' Charles nodded, far too close to just giving up to argue with these two over something as simple as this.

Accepting the helping hand from Oliver to get back to his feet, Charles bit back a groan as his back flared and his ribs throbbed, reminding him all over again of the beating he'd taken. He could vaguely remember landing a few heavy blows of his own during that fight but he had no real clue about how he managed to get so badly beaten that he could barely see or walk.  
'Mind the step.' Oliver uttered, pushing the door open and keeping a firm grip on Charles as he hobbled inside.  
'Now you go sit by the fire while I organise you something to eat and some warm water for you to wash up in.' Corrine suggested, moving past the pair as she spoke.  
'Here, let me Ollie.' another man nodded, approaching and guiding Charles' left arm over his shoulders. 'Name's Lance, woodworker by trade.'  
'I appreciate the help, Lance.' Charles replied, trying to maintain at least some dignity as he was guided over to a waiting chair by the fire.  
'Now, perhaps there can be peace over our town again.' Father Timothy nodded, coming over to steady the chair as Charles eased down with a groan. 'The Good Book teaches us compassion and forgiveness. Charles has turned away from all he has and all those who loved him to bring Lorenzo home to us. The least we can do in return is welcome him as willingly as the brothers welcomed us all in our times of need. Each of us brings our own story of hardship and triumph, we have no right to judge Charles and he has no right to judge us.'  
'I have no intention of judging anyone. I know I have done a lot of terrible things in my life and I will forever carry those regrets on my shoulders. All I ask is for a chance to redeem myself in your eyes, however I can do that. Whatever you are willing to teach me, I will be willing to learn. I know little about the country life but I want to stay and make a new life here among you.' Charles offered, looking around slowly at the people gathered around.

Feeling better for the warmth of the fire and the murmur of voices around him, Charles smiled faintly and accepted the drink Lance handed him with a nod of thanks. The alcohol stung his split lip but it was nice to feel accepted again. The people here would never replace his lost friends but they seemed at least willing to try and accept him.  
'Here, I'll take care of that Corrine.' another woman offered, taking a bowl and cloth from Corrine.  
'Oh, thank you Ellen.' Corrine replied, turning and bustling out of sight again.  
'Put that aside for a moment Charles and let's get you cleaned up a bit.' Ellen chuckled, setting the bowl down and plucking his drink from his hand. 'I'm the local tailor, Ellen. Come and see me when you're feeling up to it and I'll measure you up for some new clothes.'  
'That is most kind of you Ellen.' Charles replied, hissing as she dabbed at his lip. 'Most of my possessions are still in New York and I have no idea when I will be able to fetch them.'  
'You'll best speak with Mr Faulkner about that, he's often sailing off to New York and Boston.' Oliver suggested, resting one hand on Charles' shoulder for a moment before leaving him in Ellen's care. 'He's usually up here for the noontime meal every day.'

Sitting through the gentle ministrations of Ellen, Charles had to admit that he felt marginally better for her care. It had been a long time since he had been able to relax under the gentle hand of a woman, his wounds were usually treated by whoever was closest or he would wait until there was time for him to take care of it personally.  
'It's not perfect but at least you aren't splattered with blood anymore.' she smiled, even going so far as to clean the mess off his knuckles.  
'Here, eat up and relax. There is a room prepared for you upstairs when you've finished that.' Corrine added, setting out a steaming bowl of stew for him along with a chunk of bread and a fresh mug of ale.  
'This smells delicious, Corrine.' Charles praised, crushing down on a memory of a similar meal with different friends in another place.

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Knowing that the inn never really closed up for the night, Giovanni headed that way during his midnight run for a bite to eat and some company. Normally he wouldn't bother with stopping in if he was out at night running off some excess energy but tonight, he found he couldn't settle at home. The old homestead was just too quiet and empty without his brothers there to share it. Lorenzo wasn't in their big bed, waiting for him to curl up around him like every night and Connor wasn't there to pull the furs over them and tuck them in safely.

Sure enough, when he opened the door to the inn, the place was still warm and inviting and Oliver was behind the bar talking with Corrine as they shared a plate of bread and cheese to keep them going. Big Dave, Godfrey, Terry and Norris were sitting by the fire, talking in low voices as they drank. Oddly though, Giovanni could clearly hear someone snoring but there was no one passed out on the tables.  
'Giovanni, what brings you here so late?' Corrine asked, coming out to wrap him up in a hug. 'Are your brothers doing well?'  
'Renzo is still mostly out to it, Dr White says the fever has to break soon or we might lose him for good. Connor is doing better but he's still on full bed rest for a while and he hates it.' Giovanni sighed, eyes closing as he leant on Corrine a little. 'I couldn't sleep, it's too quiet at home without them around. I would have stayed with them but Dr White was worried that I wasn't taking care of myself and said he didn't want to see me again until noon tomorrow.'  
'You're more than welcome to stay with us until your brothers can come home, dear boy. Even in the dead of the night, there is always someone moving about here.' Corrine smiled, drawing back slowly and wiping her thumb over his cheek. 'You could use a bath, Giovanni.'  
'Actually, I was hoping for something to eat to start with. I didn't want to cook for one, it felt wrong somehow.' Giovanni sighed, allowing Corrine to lead him towards the bar.

Taking a seat at the bar, Giovanni accepted the warm mug Oliver handed him and sighed, soaking up the soothing warmth of a nice light spiced wine. This was a bit of a special treat, usually Oliver would only serve him watered down ale or cider. The spiced wine only came out when it was obvious he was hurting and in need of comfort. Letting his guard down, Giovanni set his elbows on the bar and sipped his drink, muscles relaxing as the spices wrapped him up in a familiar warmth.  
'Is my mind playing tricks or do you hear someone snoring?' he asked, lifting his gaze from his drink and watching Oliver cleaning the bar.  
'That would be Charles. Poor man was too exhausted to even climb up to bed, he fell asleep in a chair by the fire and all attempts to rouse him failed. In the end we decided it kinder to simply bring a mattress down and move him onto that instead of leaving him in the chair.' Oliver nodded, gaze flicking towards the corner nearest the fire.  
'I can definitely understand his exhaustion, it's a long ride from New York to the homestead, especially while worrying about the safety of someone else.' Giovanni sighed, turning to look but his view was blocked by several tables and chairs.  
'It's not just the long ride that wore him out. There was an altercation earlier, Charles took a beating and ended up thrown out the door. Father Timothy had quite a few stern words to say about that and opened a lot of eyes.' Oliver continued, turning again when the door swung open once more. 'Ah, Mr Faulkner. I was not expecting you up here this late.'  
'The boys are restless on the Aquila. They seem to think something's goin' on with the cap'n but no one knows which one is down.' Faulkner replied, coming over to the bar. 'Didn't think you'd be up and about, sir.'  
'Keep your voice down, Mr Faulkner. Our newest arrival is exhausted and deserves a chance to sleep.' Giovanni warned, pointing over his shoulder to where he assumed Charles was sleeping.

Nodding slowly, Robert eased his stride and came around to sit beside Giovanni, scratching at his hair as he settled and curled one hand around the tankard Oliver placed in front of him. For a few minutes there was a near-silence, broken only by the faint murmur of voices from the group by the fire and Charles' snoring away peacefully.  
'Here you go, Giovanni. Eat up, dear boy.' Corrine smiled, placing a bowl of stew and a chunk of bread in front of him.  
'Another fine meal, no doubt.' Giovanni nodded, tucking in eagerly. 'I know that look, Mr Faulkner. Speak your mind, I am in little mood for dancing around tonight.'  
'The lads are anxious sir, they've heard that one of your brothers was injured and they want to know who it was. Jones saw you go racing past with one of your brothers on the horse behind you but he couldn't identify who.' Faulkner sighed, gazing into his mug as he spoke. 'He wasn't even sure it was you, he just knew two of you had come back and one was seriously hurt.'  
'I came back with Connor, he was impaled through the abdomen on a wooden pole in New York while we were chasing Charles Lee. He's going to be out of action for months according to Dr White, up to a year or more if he doesn't take care.' Giovanni replied, tearing away a piece of bread and dunking it into his stew.  
'I'll let the lads know, no doubt some will want to come up and see him personally.' Faulkner chuckled, fully expecting to see Connor back at the helm within six months. 'We'll find a way to keep him resting until he heals up.'  
'I doubt it, you know Connor.' Giovanni shrugged, sipping his drink. 'The news gets worse I'm afraid. At the moment, I'm the only brother left standing and it's doubtful if Lorenzo will ever return to the sea.'  
'Lorenzo too? What happened to him?' Faulkner asked, putting his drink down and trying to think of a gentle way to break the news to the lads.  
'There was an accident in New York, Lorenzo took a fall and somehow landed on Connor's tomahawk. My guess, the carry loop snapped when Connor suddenly dropped as weakened deck boards gave beneath us and dropped us into a burning hull. Dr White had no choice but to amputate his right leg above the knee. If his fever don't break soon, we might have to face the fact of losing him but we're still hopeful he'll bounce back from this.' Giovanni explained, looking back over his shoulder. 'Charles Lee abandoned his escape attempt to help Lorenzo, binding the wound and getting him out of danger. He even went so far as to heat-seal the wound before riding hard for the homestead.'

Drink forgotten on the bar, Faulkner slid to his feet and crossed the room slowly, waving off Terry when he tried to keep the old sailor from where Charles was sleeping soundly, curled up under his jacket. Shouldering out of his own jacket, Robert sunk down to one knee and swept the heavy coat over Charles, tucking it around his stockinged feet to keep him warm when the fire died down.  
'Our thanks for bringing our skipper home.' he uttered, leaving Charles to sleep and returning to Giovanni. 'The lads will be disappointed to hear of Lorenzo's injury but I have no doubt they'll rally around him. Once they get used to Charles being around, they'll likely show their own gratitude for bringing Lorenzo back to the homestead.'  
'Make it clear that if anyone else tries to feed Charles his teeth, they'll face my wrath. He's already taken one beating due to ignorance, I won't stand for him getting another. He's here because Lorenzo wants him here and that's the end of it.' Giovanni warned, turning back to his meal now that he was reassured that there was no further threat to Charles tonight.  
'I'll make sure the boys understand. Don't reckon they'll try anything though, they're loyal to their skippers. If Lorenzo wants Charles around, he'll get no trouble from us.' Faulkner replied, picking up his drink again. 'If it's all the same, sir, I'd like to stay up here for the night and keep an eye on Charles just to be sure no one tries anything.'  
'I don't mind, I was planning on staying here anyway. Don't feel right at home without my brothers around.' Giovanni shrugged, scraping his bowl clean and pushing it aside. 'One of these days, Corrine, I am going to make the time to learn a few of your fabulous recipes.'  
'I look forward to that, Giovanni.' she smiled, gathering up his dirty dishes and sweeping away with them. 'You know I always have time for you boys.'  
'Aye, we know that Corrine.' Giovanni nodded, earning a soft chuckle from Faulkner at his constantly evolving language.

Finishing his wine and getting to his feet, Giovanni stretched and wandered over to where Charles was settled peacefully, completely oblivious to the kindness being shown to him. Sitting on the corner of the mattress, Giovanni set his weapons aside safely and tucked his feathers in under his quiver before untying his hair and shaking it out quickly. Yawning wide, he pushed Charles' feet out of the way and settled on the mattress contentedly, curling up a little and pillowing his head on one arm. Eyes closing slowly, he burrowed down into the mattress and was soon asleep, comforted by the soft voices around him and the peaceful snoring of a forgiven enemy.

Tutting softly, Corrine fetched a blanket and tucked it around Giovanni lightly, stroking his hair softly when he made a soft note in the back of his throat. He showed no sign of waking as she finished tucking him in and stood, leaving him to sleep in the safety of his extended family. Bringing a chair over, Faulkner settled close to the pair with his drink in hand, intending to keep his own vigil over them until the dawn. It was the least he owed the man who had done so much to bring Lorenzo back to the extended family and for the one brother remaining to shoulder the full responsibilities of the homestead and all who lived there.


	13. Each New Struggle

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Each new struggle  
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Mumbling softly, Lorenzo felt someone run their fingers through his hair and slowly opened his eyes, trying to make out the blurry face leaning over him. Blinking slowly a few times, his vision cleared enough for him to recognise Charles and he smiled, relieved to see his beloved again.  
'Here, you must be thirsty.' Charles uttered, helping him to sit up a little and holding the cup of water steady for him. 'I've been so worried for you, Lorenzo.'  
'Wha' happn'd?' Lorenzo muttered once the cup was empty and his mouth no longer felt like he'd swallowed sawdust.  
'What's the last thing you clearly remember?' Charles asked, setting the cup aside and tracing his knuckles over Lorenzo's cheek.  
'New York…the burning ship…falling…pain.' Lorenzo replied, still a little out of it but at least he was awake. 'Your voice…pleading for me to hold on. Your hands…on my leg.'  
'You're home now, Lorenzo. I carried you back to the homestead just like you wanted. I feared we were going to lose you, you've been drifting in a fever haze for day.' Charles nodded, glancing around quickly before leaning in to share a chaste kiss.  
'Something feels different.' Lorenzo remarked, drawing back and looking at Charles with a soft smile. 'What did Dr White say about that injury?'

But even as he spoke, Lorenzo realised why he felt so different and his blood ran cold. He was acutely aware that part of him was missing, stolen away by the stubborn arrogance of his so-called brother. One poor choice and Connor had taken almost everything from him.  
'It's gone, it's it? It's not just numb or anything, it's actually gone?' Lorenzo whispered, looking up at Charles in dread.  
'I'm sorry Lorenzo. Dr White had no choice but to amputate, your leg was already dying and there was nothing that could be done. Even if you had accepted another doctor, there was nothing anyone could have done to save it.' Charles nodded, hanging his head as he looked away. 'I tried so hard to get you home in time but I failed.'  
'I do not blame you Charles. I know you tried, I remember little flashes of the journey, how you would hold me at night and the soft words you spoke as we rode.' Lorenzo soothed, reaching out to interlace their fingers. 'If not for you, I could have died. You saved my life and for that I will always be grateful.'  
'I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, Lorenzo. Somehow you got into my heart and I can't imagine life without you.' Charles admitted, brushing a soft kiss over his knuckles. 'It's been tough around here without you to set people straight but I've done fairly well. Giovanni has been a big help, making sure the people know I am here because you want me here and their opinions won't change that fact. Most have come to accept it but there are still a few that aren't impressed.'  
'We'll worry about them later, Charles. Soon they'll be put straight about us and if they don't like it, well, we'll figure something out.' Lorenzo grinned, wriggling over to get just that bit closer to Charles. 'But for now, I want to feel the sun on my face for a little while. Think you can arrange that little thing?'

Returning the smile, Charles shifted to kneel on the floor and eased the blankets back, rolling them back out of the way and helping Lorenzo sit up and take stock of his new situation. Feeling a faint shiver in the hand gripping his arm, Charles moved to sit behind Lorenzo, arms wrapping around the younger man to reassure him.  
'It's not going to be easy but I will be here with you every step of the way. Whatever you need, I'm here for you Lorenzo.' Charles whispered, nuzzling his hair lightly. 'I've been helping to take care of you, Dr White seems grateful for the aid.'  
'Don't ever let me go, Charles. I can't do this without you by my side.' Lorenzo sighed, sagging into the strength of his beloved.  
'I'm right here for you, Lorenzo. Whatever the future holds, I will always be right here by your side. When everyone else fails you, you will always find me at your side, striving to make your dreams come true.' Charles promised, determined that nothing would ever tear him away from his young love. 'I love you, Lorenzo. Never forget that.'  
'I love you too Charles, you and no other.' Lorenzo replied, stretching and tipping his head back to snatch another kiss. 'Just get me out of here for a while, I will adapt to this in time.'  
'Whatever you want, my love.' Charles nodded, slipping off the cot again and hoisting Lorenzo into his arms. 'You could do with a good feed, you feel so much lighter.'  
'The inn isn't far from here.' Lorenzo chuckled, wrapping his arms around Charles' shoulders loosely and shaking his hair out of his eyes.  
'Sounds like a plan.' Charles agreed, determined to never be the reason Lorenzo doubted his abilities now. 'No doubt the others will be glad to see you.'

Stepping out of the tent, Charles had to shift his grip to prevent an overbalance as Lorenzo leant back in his arms and sighed, relishing the warm sunshine beating down on them. In that moment, Charles was sure Lorenzo had never looked more amazing; bronze skin kissed by the sun as he relaxed in his arms. Clad in just a pair of loose fitting breeches, the right leg neatly pinned up to cover his stump, bare-chested and hair dancing in the faint breeze that picked up, he was at peace at long last.  
'What's going on here?' Dr White called, emerging from his home with a scowl.  
'All respect to you, Dr White, but I need to get out and about. I understand you have been concerned for my health but keeping me cooped up now that the fever has broken will do no one any good.' Lorenzo replied, shaking his hair out of his eyes. 'We're going down to the inn to catch up on the latest news and share a meal with good company.'  
'You have taught me well, Dr White. I can handle his care for a little while and bring him back later for you to check his healing.' Charles added, noticing the faint shiver that raced down Lorenzo's back. 'But if you would be so kind to grab the shirt from the bundle Giovanni left for his brother, we'd be much obliged.'  
'I have no idea why I even try to keep you three abed when you're hurt. First Connor refused to stay put and now you're on the go.' Dr White muttered, turning and heading back inside.

He returned a few minutes later with a fresh shirt for Lorenzo and helped to support him so he could pull it on and then handed Charles a satchel of medical supplies. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Charles tucked it out of the way under his jacket and swept Lorenzo back into his arms, smiling bright as the day as his young lover settled against him again.  
'Seeing as Lorenzo is so eager to get out of here, I'll let you take over Lorenzo's ongoing care. There is little more I can do so long as you keep it clean, dry and change the bandages at least three times a day. If there are any other problems, come back and see me but now that Lorenzo is awake it's just a matter of waiting for the wound to heal and dealing with any infections.' Dr White shrugged, coming around and undoing the pins so he could make one final check of the neatly dressed stump.  
'I don't suppose you have any idea where Connor is?' Lorenzo asked, gazing at the fresh white bandages spotted with his blood.  
'Hopefully he's following my instructions and staying in bed. But knowing Connor, probably not.' Dr White replied, smoothing the worn cloth back into place and pinning the excess up again. 'Do be careful Lorenzo, the wound is still quite fresh. I put a few extra layers of padding among the bandages to protect it but try to avoid banging your leg against anything.'  
'I will take extra care with this, Dr White. I have no intention of causing you further trouble.' Lorenzo nodded, curling his fingers in Charles' jacket and relaxing back into his hold.

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Looking up when the door opened, Norris choked on his drink and reached out to tap Myriam's hand, pointing to the door as he tried to catch his breath. Jaw dropping as she turned to look, Myriam came around to slap Norris on the back, staring in disbelief as Charles entered with Lorenzo in his arms.

Smacking Richard Clutterbuck between the shoulders when he started choking on his meal, Faulkner looked over his shoulder and nodded to Charles before going back to his drink. Eyes widening, he spun around again and lost his balance, slipping off the chair and landing with a heavy thud.

Clutching at Charles' jacket all the tighter, Lorenzo howled with laughter at the reaction his return got. It was so nice to be back among his friends and extended family, he had missed them all so much. Of course, seeing Robert make a total fool of himself just made the day all the better. He was usually so sure-footed and steady, to see him go belly up like that was a rare treat.  
'Glad I could amuse you, sir.' Faulkner sighed, wiping the ale from his face with his sleeve.  
'After all this time spent in that hospital tent, it's good to see so many of you again.' Lorenzo replied, looking around slowly. 'Over there by the fire I think Charles.'  
'I would have thought right here in the middle where everyone could see you.' Charles noted, pausing by one of the tables.  
'Actually, that's not a bad idea.' Lorenzo nodded, relaxing his grip a little. 'But perhaps a few minutes upright would not go astray either.'  
'Whatever you want.' Charles grinned, easing Lorenzo down and holding him until he found his new balance. 'Corrine, have you any more of that fine broth?'  
'Of course, there's plenty left.' Corrine nodded, bustling over to them. 'It's good to see you up and about again, Lorenzo.'  
'It's good to be back among you all.' Lorenzo replied, leaning back against the table and embracing her warmly. 'There is still a long road to travel but with my friends and loved ones around me, I can make it.'  
'Blake is already working on something we reckon you'll like, skipper.' Richard called, raising his tankard in a salute. 'No doubt Lance is working on something of his own for ye.'  
'Aye, Lyle gave me the measurements and I've got something up me sleeve.' Lance nodded, turning away from the bar.  
'A compromise then, my friends. Richard, you tell Blake to make me something sturdy enough to handle a return to the Atlantic waves. One of these days, I will set sail again, not up the rigging but I'll find me new spot.' Lorenzo chuckled, gaze flicking over to Lance. 'And Lance, you can make yours suitable for the land. Preferably something I can swap around depending on the weather. You know, a wider base for the snow and something more suitable for grass. Whatever you think would be most useful.'  
'I have a few ideas, Renzo. Leave it with me, lad.' Lance nodded, going back to his meal.  
'You can be sure Blake will make ye something just perfect for the seas, skipper.' Richard added, going back to his meal with gusto.  
'And special bonuses for anyone who can figure out a contraption that will get me back to my free-running. You've all seen me doing it, spread the word and let's see what happens.' Lorenzo challenged, pulling his chair out and hopping around to settle at the table.

It took a few minutes for things to settle down but once everyone at the inn settled into the knowledge that Lorenzo was back among them for real, they picked up their conversations and games as if nothing had changed. Taking a chance and watching the good folk around them, he reached across the table and loosely curled his fingers over Charles' hand, scanning the room for any negative reactions. Most ignored them, a few even gave them a smile and a nod, but Lorenzo saw no trace of any dissent for his daring to love another man.  
'He's a typical salt dog!' David called, earning a solid smack across the ear from his brother. 'Oi!'  
'Know that I love you Charles, this is all just teasing.' Lorenzo uttered, giving him a grin before turning in his chair. 'What's the matter, David? Upset I never bedded ya? From what I heard, there ain't much to see below your deck.'  
'Dunno who ya been talking with, skipper, but I got more than most below decks.' David shot back, causing Faulkner to choke on his drink.  
'Perhaps I should have asked ol' Robert about that, then. Looks like he knows just what's down there.' Lorenzo smirked, setting Richard off into a fit of laughter.  
'All sorts of things come out when the sails are slung over the side, sir.' Faulkner responded, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  
'Oh aye, I know all about that. Don't think I didn't see you in the jib that day.' Lorenzo shot back, patting Charles' hand when he choked on his ale. 'Sorry love, it's something I got used to while serving aboard the Aquila.'  
'Just leave me out of this.' Charles sighed, gaze flicking to the three sailors across the room.  
'They know better than to prod at anyone who isn't part of the crew.' Lorenzo nodded, gaze going back to the trio. 'So tell me, Mr Faulkner, have you replaced that defiled cannon yet?'  
'Nay, sir. Thought we'd hang onto it just in case it was needed again.' Robert replied, draining his tankard at last.  
'Seems to be the only date Richard can get.' David added, letting out a yelp and hightailing it out of the inn with his brother hot on his heels.  
'One step too far, David.' Lorenzo chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. 'Best get after 'em Mr Faulkner. Can't have our gunnery officers trying to kill each other.'  
'Aye sir.' Robert nodded, getting to his feet. 'It's good to have you back with us, sir. Ain't been right without ya around for a bit of a laugh.'  
'I'll see how I go with arranging a trip down to the Aquila in the coming weeks. Just depends on how I heal up.' Lorenzo shrugged, thanking Corrine as she set a bowl of steaming beef broth in front of him and a bowl of her latest stew for Charles.  
'The lads will be glad to hear that sir.' Faulkner nodded, pausing in the doorway. 'As for that trip to New York, just say when Mr Lee.'  
'My thanks, Mr Faulkner.' Charles grinned, squeezing Lorenzo's fingers lightly. 'I will let you know within the week.'

Tucking into their meal, Lorenzo didn't think too much about this mysterious trip to New York that Charles was planning, he had no doubt that Charles would eventually explain his plan and give a good reason as to why he wanted to return.  
'I don't want to go back, Lorenzo, but I have to do something. I shouldn't have to keep borrowing clothes from the other men just to get by when I wash what few clothes of my own I have here. I worry for my dogs, Spado in particular but I miss them all. I won't be gone for long, just long enough to set my affairs in order, pack up and I'll be back to you.' Charles sighed, looking up from his meal.  
'It's not safe, Charles. If a Templar-sympathiser spots you, word will spread of your survival and you'll be called back to your past post. If one of the Assassins spots you, they'll end your life without hesitation. I doubt Giovanni has contacted all of our Brotherhood and passed the order that you are to be left alone.' Lorenzo replied, tearing off a few small pieces of bread and setting them to soak in the broth. 'There must be another way.'  
'If there is, I cannot see it. I must go back, no doubt I can come up with a plan to hide my identity from all who might see me in the streets.' Charles shrugged, hating to leave but he was tired of having to constantly plan when he could wash his clothes around who could lend him clean garments. 'I have been relying on the kindness of these people since I arrived, I want to repay that kindness but for now I'm stuck taking more than I can give back.'  
'No disguise can fully hide you, someone would realise and take action. I understand your desire to repay the kindness of the people, but taking stupid risks isn't going to make that any easier.' Lorenzo countered, chewing thoughtfully on a soaked chunk of bread. 'Perhaps instead send someone with a letter requesting that all of your possessions be packed and loaded aboard the Aquila. By all means, sail to New York but stay on the ship as everything is loaded and stowed securely. It's not a perfect solution but it's better than letting you wander unprotected.'  
'Dressed as one of the crew, kept onboard to prevent any mischief…it could work. I would need a little guidance on actually sailing, I know nothing on the subject.' Charles shrugged, dunking some of his bread into the gravy. 'No doubt Mr Faulkner can offer some aid.'  
'You're not hearing me, Charles. If you're determined to go to New York and flash your face where people will see you, then go and see just how much pain you can unleash. Both sides are hunting for you; one to rebuild their shattered Order and the other to ensure that never happens. But if you're determined to shatter what we have, then go ahead. You'll just be the latest in a long line of people to abandon me when I needed them.' Lorenzo snapped, pushing back form the table. 'Norris, a little help if you wouldn't mind?'  
'Of course, Lorenzo.' Norris nodded, coming over and bracing Lorenzo as he got up and slung one arm around his shoulders. 'Back to the homestead?'  
'No, I'm in no mood for another argument right now.' Lorenzo sighed, hopping towards the door slowly. 'To Ellen's, I will need new pants tailored.'

All eyes went to the door as it swung open again and Connor stepped inside, one hand pressed to his still healing abdomen as he looked around. Growling low in his throat, eyes narrowing dangerously as he hopped forward without letting go of Norris, Lorenzo pulled the dagger Charles had been looking after for him and pointed it at Connor, the warning clear to all who saw it.  
'So finally you come before me to admit you were wrong! At last you have the courage to look at me and accept that you tore my life apart with your stubborn arrogance! Look at what your refusal has cost me Connor! Look at what your attitude had forced upon my shoulders!' Lorenzo snarled, so very grateful of Norris for staying beside him. 'You know this is your fault and yet you refuse to apologise for making me a cripple!'  
'I am far more interested in why you thought it a good idea to bring our sworn enemy to our home. You remember what Charles Lee did to me and yet you grant him shelter. Why did you turn against our oath to our people and welcome such a man into our one true safe place?' Connor challenged, flicking out his own hidden dagger and bringing it up to meet Lorenzo's blade.

Charging in through the back door, Giovanni hurried across the room and pushed in between his brothers, forcing their blades up where they could do little harm. Originally Giovanni had hoped to have a chance to speak with each brother in turn and control the clashing personalities and bruised egos that would surely result of any confrontation between Lorenzo and Connor.  
'That's enough, both of you! You're acting like idiots over this! Put the daggers down and we will talk this through!' Giovanni growled, straining to hold both blades at bay. 'Stop this! You both have good points and you both took wrong turns!'  
'I will not apologise for falling in love. Charles has already thrown aside his weapons and turned his back on his Templar oath.' Lorenzo growled, pulling his wrist free and sheathing his dagger.  
'I refuse to accept his presence on these grounds until he proves he has turned his back on the Templars. I demand to see his Templar ring thrown into the forge! I know he has one, I saw Johnson wearing one.' Connor insisted, slipping his dagger away and resting one hand against his slowly healing wound.  
'You will have to find another way, Connor. I already said Charles could keep his ring as a reminder of the friends he has lost. If you really want the ring, you will have to offer up something else in trade.' Giovanni correction, shooting Charles a warning look as he approached the trio. 'Bad idea Charles, keep your distance from this.'  
'I have something that might be of worth to you. I do not know why it was considered so important, Haytham trusted me to keep it safe and that's all I know about it.' Charles offered, pulling the precursor amulet from inside his shirt and lifting the thin cord over his head. 'I have no idea what to do with it, perhaps you will figure it out.'  
'Connor, what do you offer in trade for the amulet?' Giovanni asked, noting with some amusement that Charles kept the amulet out of their reach for now.  
'In the homestead, we have a few personal items taken from your friends. I will give them to you for the amulet and the destruction of that ring.' Connor replied, turning to Charles and gazing at the amulet he held.  
'What sort of personal items?' Charles questioned, wary of getting a bad deal on his only items of any real value.  
'William's cloak and sash, Jonathan's cloak clasp, journal and crucifix, Thomas' hat and dagger and Haytham's sword belt, neckerchief and hat. There are other little things too, there's a full inventory listing to go with it.' Giovanni listed, wracking his brain to try and remember some of the many things they'd taken from the dead. 'It's a good trade, you'll have so many great reminders of your friends, things a lot more personal than that ring.'  
'It's your choice, Charles. Whatever you want, I support you.' Lorenzo added, his anger towards his lover forgotten in his frustrations with Connor.

Moving closer, Charles wrapped one arm around Lorenzo's waist and slipped the amulet around his neck, trusting in the younger man to keep it safe. Offering the pair his best wishes for their future together, Norris slipped out from under Lorenzo's arm and left the feuding brothers to figure things out without his presence.  
'Now, how about instead of disturbing everyone else, we take this back to the house to discuss in private? There is much to negotiate, a new peace to be struck between all of us.' Giovanni suggested, gaze flicking between his brothers once more. 'You should be resting anyway Connor and Lorenzo, you are still recovering from a severe fever.'  
'No, we stay and eat together. The discussions can wait, we have startled the people and now must reassure them that there is no reason for them to worry. Look around, they are concerned that the homestead will be broken up among us.' Lorenzo corrected, leaning back against Charles a little more as he looked around at the stunned faces of their friends.  
'What have we done? This was supposed to be a place of peace, far from the conflicts and threats that sweep these lands. Instead we've turned it into an extension of the war, pulling these innocent folk into our disputes.' Connor uttered, noting how Oliver had Corrine huddled protectively behind his back, one hand on the pistol he kept under the bar in case of trouble.  
'None of you like to retreat from battle, be it fought with swords or words. Put three strong, independent personalities together and there are bound to be disagreements. What matters is that you get through these storms and come out the other side stronger and even closer as brothers and friends.' Charles offered, offering out his hand. 'We can start small, let's just try and get through a meal without causing another scene.'  
'I expect you to help out around the homestead now that it seems you will be staying with us. No one gets away with doing nothing to benefit the community.' Connor nodded, clasping Charles' hand firmly.  
'The people have been kind enough to teach me a few things I can do to help, I know little of this lifestyle.' Charles grinned, adjusting his grip on Lorenzo. 'Just yesterday I was down at the farm helping Warren and Prudence with the harvest.'  
'He pitched in here as well, up to his elbows in the wash trough doing the lunch dishes.' Oliver added, relaxing a little and allowing Corrine to go back to her duties.  
'And he was helping to haul lumber for a while, took a few loads to Ellen and some to Father Timothy as well.' Terry acknowledged, turning to regard the brothers.  
'I still do not trust you but we will see how this works out.' Connor nodded, amazed to hear that Charles had been trying to find his place in the settlement.

Determined to try and regain some of his independence, Lorenzo shook of Charles' attempt to pick him up and hopped around to stand beside him, getting a firm grip on Charles' forearm. This was certainly going to put some extra pressure on his left leg but at least if he mastered this he could turn to anyone to help him get around.  
'Lance, I have another idea to run by you.' he grinned, waving his brothers towards the table he'd been sitting up as Charles started slowly towards Lance's table. 'Have you paper and ink on you?'  
'Of course, what's on your mind Lorenzo?' Lance nodded, pulling out a notebook, ink bottle and quill from his pouches.  
'Something to give me a little more independence until this stump heals up enough for a peg.' Lorenzo replied, pulling out a chair and flipping through the notebook to a clean page. 'I heard about them on my travels, they don't look too hard to make.'

Watching Lorenzo sketch out the design on the open page, Lance couldn't quite see how this was supposed to be of any use to Lorenzo in his current situation. It looked like a long forked stick, a cross piece set between the ends of the fork and a shorter piece down lower. Certainly making it wouldn't be too hard, he could carve the basic shape out of a wider board without too much trouble.  
'It's a simple enough idea, really. This wider piece here rests under the armpit and this here is a handgrip. With two of these, I wouldn't need to rely on anyone else to help me get around, I could get just about anywhere I needed to go.' Lorenzo explained, turning the book back to him and pointing out the two horizontal pieces as he spoke.  
'So some kind of padding on the crosspieces would be a good idea. A gentle curve to the upper piece to cradle your shoulder comfortably and a slimmer round to the handpieces to allow a good grip. I can certainly make the fork out of a single piece, fitting the handgrips might be a little tricky but I'll figure it out.' Lance nodded, taking his quill and making a few notes beside the image.  
'You could probably make good money selling them to the survivors of the war too, they'll likely be glad for the chance to get moving again.' Lorenzo added, getting up again and grasping Charles' forearm again.  
'Just before you run off, let me work out the rough lengths for these contraptions of yours.' Lance chuckled, picking up his book and standing. Using his own height as a guide since he left his measuring rope at home, he figured out where the two crosspieces would need to be to best fit Lorenzo and wrote it all down, thinking about the best timber to make them from and how to get the best shape.  
'These will need to be tough and carefully constructed. I'll likely take them to sea with me, so just keep that in mind.' Lorenzo sighed, feeling the Aquila calling to him quietly.  
'Leave it with me Lorenzo, I'll see what I can come up with.' Lance grinned, checking the ink was dry before putting the book away. 'I'll get onto them straight away.'  
'Much appreciated, Lance.' Lorenzo nodded, shaking his hand before turning with Charles and heading to join his brothers for a meal.

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As the last rays of the sun danced across the lands, there appeared to at least be some semblance of peace within the grand house at the heart of Davenport Homestead. There was still some tension inside but the angry words and frustrated arguments had finally petered out and they were silent, getting used to the new turn their lives had taken. None held any doubts that these old arguments would flare again, be it on the morrow or in the weeks to come, they knew it would spark again and more heated words would be exchanged.

In the main sitting room, Charles flipped through Jonathan's journal slowly, a fond smile on his face as he remembered the day he'd flung horse manure at Braddock to give them a chance to pry Jonathan from his clutches. Every so often, his left hand would drift from where it was holding the book and trail through Lorenzo's hair. The younger man rested full stretch on the couch, head pillowed on Charles' thigh as he slept peacefully under a fur that Giovanni had draped over him.

Seated in the armchair nearer to the fire, Connor adjusted the pillow at his back and tried to find a comfortable position but his abdominal wounds made it difficult. Finally he found a spot that caused the smallest discomfort and settled back, gazing at the amulet he'd gotten from Charles. Something about it was important, something called to him from the deepest corner of his mind. He briefly wondered if this had something to do with the spirit visions he'd seen as a young child but pushed such thoughts aside quickly, not wanting to think about that right now.

Returning to his slightly larger family, Giovanni paused to hand Connor a steaming tankard of the coffee they'd had brought in especially for him before padding over to put the tea service on the table beside Charles. Picking up his own tankard, he moved to settle in the other armchair and simply admire the comfortable peace around him. It was nice to finally have both his brothers home and healing from their wounds, all three of them gathered around the fire in quiet contemplation.

Stirring his tea as he put the journal aside for now, Charles looked down at Lorenzo and smiled softly, running the backs of his fingers through the short stubble emerging on either side of his head. This was what they had pushed so hard to gain, all their sacrifices almost seemed worth it as he sat and watched Lorenzo sleep, a contented little smile on his lips and one hand clutching at his jacket to keep him from leaving.

Looking up at the painting hanging by the fire, Giovanni chuckled faintly and shook his head, mind conjuring up Achilles' outraged voice at finding a Templar in their home and harmony between them. They still had a long road ahead of them and many challenges to face, but together they would surmount all those problems. Tempers would fray and questions raised but for now there was acceptance and a subtle joy in the house.

Sipping his coffee and watching the way Charles was so easily able to comfort Lorenzo, Connor's mind drifted back to his father as it had so many times since his death. He found he was longing to know more about the man who gave him life, more than just the writings in the journals that Stephane and Duncan had found under Fort George and carried back to them. Connor hadn't had much time to read them yet, but when he was feeling up to it, he intended to sit down and read all of them in an attempt to understand Haytham.

Perhaps though, there was another way to get an insight into his father. If anyone could tell him more about the man who gave him life, surely Charles would know certain details that Haytham wouldn't necessarily have thought to put in his journals. Some small fact, thought insignificant by most could prove invaluable to him and help him come to terms with the man who was still part of him and his life.  
'Charles, a question for you.' Connor opened, shifting his hands on his tankard as the heat bled through the leather cover.  
'What's on your mind, Connor?' Charles asked, setting his tea aside and shifting a little.  
'What can you tell me about my father? I fought beside and against him, argued with him, dragged him from the danger, sailed the Atlantic with him and stood there as he died but I feel as if I hardly know Haytham Kenway.' Connor sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'The little I have read of his journals provides no answers, only more questions.'  
'We never really discussed our private lives. I know a few things but I doubt what I know will answer any of your questions.' Charles nodded, watching Connor fiddle with his tankard.  
'Anything at all has to be better than what little I know of him now. Whatever you can tell me will surely help me to understand him, if not his reasons for the things he did.' Connor shrugged, gaze turning to the fire. 'What pushed him to do the things he did? Why was he the way he was?'

Nodding slowly, Charles sipped his tea as he considered what little he knew of Haytham and his life before their meeting at Boston Harbour. He didn't have much to offer Connor, a few scattered conversations when Haytham felt like opening up about his past. There was no pushing him if he did not wish to speak.  
'What little I know came out in scattered conversations over the years, usually aided by strong ale or whiskey if it was available at a reasonable price. There were some topics that clearly pained him, getting even a few words about his family took me months of cautious pushing every time he had time for a drink.' Charles sighed, looking down at Lorenzo again.  
'Tell me, I need to know more about him. He was my father but he is still a stranger to me, Charles.' Connor almost pleaded, his face softening as he spoke. 'Even after everything, he is my blood and I cannot ignore that connection.'  
'Very well. I know his father died when he was just a young child, he was never specific but I would say he was around eight or ten, judging by the way he spoke of the event. December of 1735, five men attacked his family home. His father killed one but was overwhelmed and died with a sword in his chest. Haytham took his first life that night, picking up a dropped sword and stabbing one of the attackers in the eye. One of the men knocked Haytham over and would have killed him, had a family friend not arrived and killed the man. The two remaining attackers managed to snatch his sister and setting the house on fire.' Charles nodded, setting his cup aside again and staring into the fire as he spoke.  
'I knew some small details about my grandfather, Lorenzo and Giovanni found a few little clues about him during solo missions. Nothing of much use, you have filled in some of the gaps in what I knew. There was no mention of his mother or sister though.' Connor replied, toying with his bear claw necklace. 'Did he ever say more about them?'  
'His sister's name was Jennifer Scott, the only child from Edward's first marriage. She was a few years older than Haytham but that's all he would say. There might be something in his writings but I had the impression that he had little love for his sister.' Charles shrugged, finding it someone comforting to be able to discuss Haytham again. 'As for his mother, he would only say her name was Tessa and they barely spoke after he killed his first man that fateful night. She died a few years later and Haytham could not return for her funeral.'

Staring into the fire, Connor thought about what little he had just learned and wondered what his grandfather was like. No one seemed to know much about Edward Kenway and his family but here Connor sat, the last descendant of a supposedly great Assassin. Of course, there was a chance that Jennifer had children of her own but something made Connor doubt that.  
'I know it achieves nothing but I do with I had known my extended family. What few details I have on Edward makes me think we might have gotten along better.' Connor sighed, bowing his head in thought. 'There was a mention in a letter Lorenzo found of Edward being a sailor.'  
'I could not say what Edward did for a living, Haytham never said anything on the subject.' Charles shrugged, tearing his gaze away from Lorenzo's sleeping face. 'There might be a way to find out more though.'  
'What do you propose?' Connor asked, intrigued by what Charles might be thinking.  
'Reach out through your network of people, someone is sure to know where you can contact the British arm of your Brotherhood. Write to them and explain you are a grandson of Edward and looking for information on him. Seal it with the sign of your Brotherhood and they will surely respond. Perhaps even in person, if they are uncertain of your true origins.' Charles suggested, taking up his teacup again. 'The worst you'll get is a harshly worded letter but there is a chance you will learn so much more about your roots.'  
'I will see what I can find out.' Connor nodded, straightening a little at the prospect of finding out more about his past but he knew it was a long shot.

Waking with a yelp, Lorenzo struggled for a moment before his sleep-addled mind caught up with what he was seeing and he shivered, wriggling over to curl up against Charles contentedly. Smiling softly at his young love, Charles offered no resistance as Lorenzo pulled his left arm around his shoulders and stretched up for a soft kiss.  
'Keep it to the bedroom.' Giovanni groused, one hand up to block the sight of the lovers kissing.  
'Leave them be, Vanni. There are some comforts we just can't offer.' Connor replied, keeping his face turned away. 'But if they go any further, they'll both be sleeping outside.'  
'That's going to have to wait until I heal up.' Lorenzo sighed, adjusting the fur still draped over his lower half. 'But don't worry, when that time comes I'll make sure you two are warned to leave us be for a few hours.'  
'Hours? I think you're overestimating things a little, Lorenzo. I've got a few years on you.' Charles grinned, catching the cushion Connor threw at him. 'Never let it be said I leave my bed mates unsatisfied but you might be asking a bit much there.'  
'The day you start throwing insults with the crew will be a grand day indeed.' Lorenzo laughed, shifting against Charles and taking the cushion from him to prop under his stump. 'No doubt you'll be able to banter with the best of them.'  
'I don't know about that, Renzo. The Clutterbuck brothers know a few things about bantering with the crew.' Giovanni replied, smiling fondly at the happy couple. 'And Blake's got ears all over the place, he knows all the scuttlebutt before anyone else.'  
'Those two that were bantering with you earlier…' Charles asked, looking down at Lorenzo with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes.  
'Richard and David Clutterbuck.' Lorenzo nodded, wondering what Charles was thinking. 'You already knew Mr Faulkner I take it.'  
'I met Faulkner the day before, we got along quite well.' Charles nodded, toying with Lorenzo's hair. 'From what I've seen of the Clutterbuck brothers, they don't know much beyond bantering about their equipment and almost killing each other in turn. A true master of banter knows how to catch a large group off guard with one comment given in an off-hand manner.'  
'Sounds like you've had practise doing just that.' Connor remarked, draining his tankard and putting it on the table beside him.  
'Used to do it frequently at the camps, stirring up the troops when there was a quiet moment.' Charles smirked, rolling his eyes when Lorenzo swiped what remained of his tea and finished it quickly. 'Not how you usually take it?'  
'I've tasted worse.' Lorenzo shrugged, handing the teacup back and settling again. 'I'm more of a coffee drinker but I'll drink it if there's nothing else.'

Shifting to rest his chin in Lorenzo's hair, Charles sighed softly as he closed his eyes, treasuring this moment of tranquillity after a lifetime of conflict. This perfection was something he would constantly strive to never lose, he could weather any storm so long as he had Lorenzo at his side.  
'I've been thinking about what you said earlier, Lorenzo. About the trip to New York.' he sighed, nuzzling Lorenzo's hair lightly. 'I will write the letter of authorisation and give it to Mr Faulkner to deliver and oversee. I just hope he is a dog person, Spado and the others won't go near him if he is not a fan of dogs.'  
'Just out of curiosity, what sort of dogs are they?' Giovanni asked, tucking his feet up and setting his tankard on the floor beside his chair.  
'Pomeranians…I know, I know, hardly what most people think of as a suitable dog for a soldier but I find them to be the most loyal and protective dogs that I have ever owned.' Charles grinned, flicking Lorenzo's chin when he snorted a laugh. 'You won't be laughing when one decided that they're going to follow you everywhere you go.'  
'We'll see what happens.' Lorenzo replied, snuggling back into Charles' embrace a little more. 'Had you considered sending something that smells like you to ensure the dogs have a familiar scent to guide them. It wouldn't take much, the shirt off your back would likely do the trick.'  
'You would enjoy that.' Charles sighed, squeezing Lorenzo close for a moment. 'I would have to see who was once again willing to lend me a spare before sending mine on a long journey.'  
'Your jacket would be a better option, heavy cloth and a larger expanse of fabric to collect and hold the scent. At least the weather is good at the moment, the trip to New York shouldn't be delayed by storms.' Connor suggested, rubbing at his eyes quickly. 'Or a blanket from your bed, if you can wait a few days before the Aquila sails.'  
'I could always ask Corrine if she would mind if I borrowed the sheets from the bed I've been using at the inn. Those should be perfect for the task.' Charles nodded, recalling his request that Corrine not bother about his room until he knew for sure what his future held.  
'She is sure to allow it, once you explain why you want them.' Lorenzo agreed, hiding a yawn in his shoulder quickly.  
'We can continue this discussion later, it's not hard to see you two are falling asleep where you are.' Giovanni grinned, shaking his head slowly. 'It's been a big day, full of upheavals and constantly arising issues. We'll look at these problems tomorrow with fresh eyes.'

Smiling softly, Charles slid out from behind Lorenzo and scooped him up in one smooth motion, showing that his years had done little to weaken him as he hoisted Lorenzo up with seeming ease. He had at least twenty-five years on these young men, if not more but with Lorenzo, he felt like a young man again and he hoped that feeling lasted for a long time.  
'We did it Lorenzo. The four things you wanted, we did it.' Charles grinned, rejoicing inside as Lorenzo wrapped his arms around his shoulders and snuggled close.  
'Family, love, peace and freedom…it's all here at last.' Lorenzo nodded, cherishing each moment with Charles. 'The sacrifices were worth it, we have what we wanted.'  
'I left you in our old room, Renzo. I moved my effects into the old trophy room and put all that stuff downstairs.' Giovanni cut in, helping Connor to his feet. 'It's going to be weird settling down without you but at least you're both back in the house.'  
'You didn't have to do that, Vanni, but thank you. One day we hope to build our own place among the others who share these lands but that's not going to be for a while yet.' Lorenzo nodded, reaching out to squeeze Giovanni's hand lightly. 'Goodnight, my brothers.'  
'Goodnight Charles, Renzo.' Connor offered, leaning gratefully on Giovanni's shoulders.  
'Sleep well, Connor. You too Giovanni.' Charles replied, careful not to belt Lorenzo into anything as he left the room and headed upstairs with his beloved.

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Enjoying a family holiday on the Mediterranean, everyone so glad to be out on their luxury yacht, the Sunset Eagle, the massed Auditore family soaked up the sun and relaxed. This was a truly unique vessel, looked upon with great envy by the rich and famous that shared the marina with the Sunset Eagle. Certainly, she wasn't the largest personal luxury yacht in existence but what she lacked in size, she made up for with her sheer presence. Even with a paintjob and a full refit inside and out, there was no mistaking the fact that the Sunset Eagle was an old decommissioned American naval destroyer.

Inside though, she was as elegant as any five star luxury vessel, her military heritage hidden under layers of finery. She was fully equipped for week's worth of fun in the sun and carried a helicopter in a hanger at the stern, two miniature submarines and all manner of pleasure craft for the open sea and the shallower water beyond where this fierce lady of the seas could go. Wherever she went, the Sunset Eagle always drew attention but no one was ever foolish enough to get too close to her.

Painted glistening white with the Auditore crest under her bridge and purple stripes along her hull, the Sunset Eagle had already proven she was a capable vessel and more than capable of defending herself from all comers. Before she had set sail, she had been fitted with new, smaller guns and other defences to deal with any pirates or other threats that tried to send her to the bottom. So now on her hull, just near the boarding platform, the Sunset Eagle now carried five kill marks for the five pirate vessels she'd sent to Davy Jones.

Those five marks tended to startle people away from the Sunset Eagle, any ship capable of sinking five pirate vessels was certainly not a ship to stir trouble with. Her arrival in any port was hailed as a great day, for she tended to keep any troublemakers out of whatever port they docked at. Of course there were always the curious ones that wanted a closer look so they would leave one of the lower doors open so people could see the grand luxury onboard but also the armed crewmembers that patrolled whichever area was on display, along with the decks above.

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Diving off the lowered swimming deck, Lorenzo sliced into the crystal clear waters in the shade of the Sunset Eagle and swam over to where Giovanni was reclined on one of their inflatable lounges, the blue plastic securely tethered to the ship looming over them. It was nice to get away from home for a while and relax, leaving behind all of the issues that came with all of the responsibilities the Auditore family had to balance.

Kicking up, Lorenzo planted his elbows on the lounge and grinned, quite enjoying the warm sun beating down on his shoulders as he flicked his hair back out of his eyes. Laughing at his antics, Giovanni ran his fingers through Lorenzo's hair to push it back and offered him the soda he was holding before reaching for the second pair of sunglasses he had atop his head.  
'I never would have believed how tender and loving Charles could be, I always thought he was a bloodthirsty asshole. I had no idea he could be so easy to get along with.' Giovanni remarked, accepting his soda back as Lorenzo slipped on his sunglasses.  
'I've noticed that history often misjudges people. Sure, he caused a lot of pain and upset during his rampage but once he was given a new goal to chase, he changed so much.' Lorenzo agreed, perfectly content to share Giovanni's soda and enjoy the slow pace of their holiday.

Bobbing up beside the twins, Ezio flipped over onto his back and pulled his sunglasses out of the plastic bag attached to his swimming trunks. Slipping them on, he kept a firm grip on the rope attached to Giovanni's lounge and smiled, the picture of relaxation and peace.  
'It really has been too long since we could all get away like this. I had no idea how big you two had grown.' he remarked, free hand waving slowly under the water to help him keep his position.  
'We've been training a lot with the new skills we picked up from the dreams. That's really helped with muscle bulk, along with stamina and speed.' Lorenzo shrugged, stretching out one leg and tugging Ezio closer to them.  
'Not to mention agility and balance working on the Aquila replica. It's tough bounding up the rigging and moving along the yards, especially with those hydraulics under her.' Giovanni added, shifting a little to continue working on his tan.

Shifting his elbows on the warm plastic, Lorenzo raised his left arm and lightly traced over the straps and panels secured around his forearm. Leonardo was still providing new creations for the Assassins, when he had time among his commissions and running the museum dedicated to the original Leonardo da Vinci. He'd presented this newest creation to Lorenzo just before the family left for their holiday, asking if he would mind testing it in the salt water to see if he had the design right to protect the delicate mechanism that made the hidden blade function.  
'Oh, is that Leonardo's new creation?' Ezio asked, flipping over in the water and swimming closer.  
'Si, he said this one should stand up to getting wet better than previous models. He asked if I could test it out for him and report back with any problems or suggestions.' Lorenzo nodded, extending his arm so Ezio could have a closer look.  
'Have you noticed any issues with it?' Ezio asked, admiring the slimline design Leonardo had come up with this time.  
'The salt builds up underneath it and itches like you wouldn't believe but apart from that, it's great.' Lorenzo shrugged, unbuckling the straps to reveal faint red lines where his skin had been irritated.  
'A neoprene sleeve under it would likely be all that is needed to ease that irritation.' Ezio suggested, examining the new hidden blade closely as Lorenzo resecured the strap.  
'Why didn't I think of that? Madre probably has an old wetsuit I could cut apart. I'll be back.' Lorenzo nodded, slipping off the lounge and slipping under the water.

Standing on the diving platform, Mario shivered faintly as a dark sensation ran up his back. He was used to that sensation, he got it every time his family was threatened, even though he hadn't truly understood what it had meant the first few times he'd felt it. Looking around quickly, he checked where everyone was and tried to understand why he had that dark feeling now of all times. Then he saw it in the water and his blood ran cold.  
'Shark! Shark! Everyone out of the water! Shark!' he bellowed, moving back from the edge as everyone already in the water started looking for the best way out and the shark alert sounded behind him.

Head snapping up, Giovanni Snr reeled in his fishing line quickly and ran up to the controls of the small fishing boat that came as part of the Sunset Eagle package. Firing up the engines, he headed back towards the swimmers, setting the boat to drift as he ran to the side to haul Ezio out of the water as Kadar grabbed Vanni's wrists and dragged him onboard.  
'Lorenzo! Where's Lorenzo? He was swimming back to the Eagle to see if Emily had an old wetsuit.' Vanni asked, looking around for his twin. 'Renzo! Renzo!'  
'Oh no.' Ezio whispered, grabbing Vanni and spinning him around to where he could see a pool of blood in the water.  
'Lorenzo!' Vanni screamed, trying to launch back over the side and reach his brother but Ezio held him back. 'Lorenzo! No! Lorenzo!'

Also having noticed the blood, Aloysius took a huge risk and put his life on the line, sprinting across the diving platform and launching full stretch into the water. With nothing but his usual hidden blades to protect him, he swam hard for the stained water, desperate to save his nephew from the jaws of that shark out there. Diving down, he saw the most horrifying and yet amazing thing and kicked harder, hidden blades snapping out as he approached the shark.

Driving both blades in deep and tearing them back, Aloysius turned and wrapped one arm around Lorenzo's waist, holding him tight as they both continued hacking at the shark until it finally let go. Ignoring the burning in his lungs, Aloysius turned and kicked hard, still clutching Lorenzo to his chest as they burst from the water and he searched for a way out of this mess.

Spotting the pair, Giovanni gunned the little fishing boat around beside them and nodded as Kadar grabbed the spear gun from the locker and took up a position on the port side, watching for any more threats. Darting to the aft of the smaller boat, Giovanni knelt and grabbed Lorenzo under the arms, dragging the wounded boy out of the waves and swallowing when he saw the damage done.  
'Get us out of here, Giovanni!' Aloysius snapped, climbing up and kneeling beside Lorenzo. 'Shit! Someone get the medical kit! Warn the Eagle we've got a major injury!'  
'Renzo! Come on brother, you can't give up!' Vanni sobbed, dropping down beside his twin and gently cradling his head. 'Renzo, stay with me fratello.'  
'I…right…here.' Lorenzo panted, struggling to open his eyes. 'Not…gonna…go.'  
'That's it, you're a fighter.' Aloysius nodded, catching the medical kit and tearing it open. 'Kadar! I need your hands!'

Tearing open one of the roller bandages, Aloysius unwound it fully and folded the length into three before slipping it around what was left of Lorenzo's leg and twisting the ends together. He'd seen some horrific injuries in his time but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of young Lorenzo Auditore with half his right leg bitten off. Even Mother's scars from her encounter with that Killer Whale in Antarctica couldn't compare to this mess.  
'What do you need, Aloysius?' Kadar asked, helping to hold Lorenzo's right leg still.  
'We have to get this as tight as we can, before he bleeds out. You pull that end, I've got this end.' Aloysius directed, handing one end of the folded bandage to Kadar. 'Pull! Keep pulling and don't let go!'

Trying to resist Giovanni's hands holding him down, Lorenzo screamed in pain as he bandage was forced as tight as Aloysius and Kadar could make it before they used a couple of clamps from the medical kit to secure the ends and Aloysius used another shorter bandage to bind the temporary tourniquet into place. Grabbing the towels that had been sitting nearby, Aloysius refolded them both and wrapped them around the stump, trying to stem the blood loss to avoid attracting more sharks and binding them into place with a triangular bandage from the kit.  
'Little bump!' Giovanni called, swinging the fishing boat around and lining up on the loading ramps up into the smaller hold where she belonged. 'Hold on back there!'  
'Go! Go! Go! We're running out of time!' Aloysius barked, lunging over to check Lorenzo's pulse.  
'Hold on fratello. I can't lose you now.' Vanni pleaded, terrified of losing Lorenzo and he wasn't bothering to try and hide it.

As soon as he felt the smaller boat settle in her mooring rack, Aloysius scrambled around to sweep Lorenzo's limp form into his arms and stepped down from the fishing boat, shouting for people to get out of his way as he hurried towards the onboard infirmary. He barely made it out of the docking bay when the medical team arrived with the gurney, loaded down with equipment to stabilise their patient and whisk him away for treatment. Gently depositing Lorenzo on the gurney, Aloysius helped strap him down and briefed the team on what he'd done as they raced back towards the infirmary.

Looking down at the bloodstained deck where his brother had been, Vanni wept quietly as he sat there, shaken to the core at the brutality of the attack. He kept getting flashbacks to their dreams, seeing Lorenzo on the deck of a different ship with a tomahawk imbedded in his leg, the same leg that had just been torn away by a shark.  
'Come on, nipote, you can't do him any good kneeling there.' Giovanni uttered, crouching beside the young man and gently stroking his hair. 'Renzo is tough, he'll pull through this.'  
'You don't understand. In the dreams he lost his leg, now reality has taken the same leg at the same point.' Vanni choked, latching onto his Uncle as he openly wept. 'Every scar and wound comes across. The story is different but the wound is the same.'  
'I didn't know, nipote, I had no idea.' Giovanni whispered, returning the hug and stroking Vanni's hair. 'I've got you, I'm here nipote.'

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Swapping horrified looks as they listened to the prognosis from the surgeon onboard, Emily whined softly in the back of her throat as she burrowed into Mario's loving embrace. Mario was still shaken up by what he had witnessed and he was so very grateful that Emily hadn't been there to see Lorenzo get dragged under the water and the blood that had spread out at such an alarming rate. She had been busy inside tending to Vincenzio, their last child, leaving Mario to watch over the twins in the water and enjoy the peace of their holiday.

Holding her all the tighter and so very thankful Maria had offered to watch over the rest of their brood so they could focus on Lorenzo, Mario could fully understand why Emily didn't want to deal with this. He didn't particularly want to deal with this either but one of them had to make the decision for Lorenzo.  
'There is a scar around his right thigh, a scar that means a great deal to Lorenzo. If you can, try to preserve that scar as much as possible. Apart from that, we leave his life in your hands, Dr White.' Mario nodded, running his fingers through Emily's hair lightly.  
'I have seen that particular scar, altezza. Most of it is still there, but we will have to sacrifice some of the scar behind his leg for the skin flap to seal the stump.' Dr Patrick White replied, thoughts on his patient being prepared for surgery. 'I will certainly try to keep as much of both the scar and his leg as I can. I will have to take it back above the knee though, the shark bit right through the middle of the joint.'  
'Thank you doctor.' Mario sighed, turning to guide Emily away to rest until Lorenzo came out of surgery. 'It's going to be okay, amore. Lorenzo is a strong boy, he will pull through this.'  
'I am more concerned about the future. He has his whole life ahead of him and now it will be that much harder for him.' Emily uttered, clutching at Mario's shirt with both hands. 'That's not the life I dreamed of for Renzo.'  
'Have faith, amore mio. Lorenzo has never let anything beat him down, he will rise up over this as well. Even if he stumbles, Vanni will be right there to pick him up and keep moving forward. Those two will achieve great things together.' Mario soothed, keeping Emily moving away from Lorenzo.  
'Your brother is looking after Vanni for the time being, poor lad cried himself to sleep on the boat. Didn't want to leave the mess.' Aloysius uttered, slipping in beside Mario.  
'Grazie Aloysius. I'm not surprised, they've never spent a day apart since they were born. This will be hard on Vanni.' Mario nodded, reaching out to squeeze Aloysius' shoulder. 'You have our deepest thanks for going out there to save him. You knew that shark could turn on you but you still went out to get Lorenzo.'  
'Lorenzo turned out to be a little more than that shark was ready for. When I got to him, he was going hard with his hidden blade, trying to save his own life. I merely followed his lead.' Aloysius shrugged, revealing his own hidden blades and the little patches of blood and skin on them both.  
'That's my boy.' Mario chuckled, not all that surprised to hear that Lorenzo had turned to such a familiar weapon in his time of need. 'Either way, you have our deepest thanks for ensuring his safety as you did.'  
'Anything for family, Mario. It's always been that way with me, I'll do anything for those I care about.' Aloysius replied, flipping his blades away and moving back a step. 'If there is nothing else, I will leave you two alone.'  
'I thought I would take Emilia back to our suite to rest, this has taken a horrible toll on her. If anyone wishes to speak with us, that's where to find us.' Mario sighed, not sure quite how to help Emily through this. 'There is little else we can do right now.'


	14. The Sweetest Dream

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The sweetest dream  
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Getting around with a lot more ease now that he had his handmade crutches to lean on, Lorenzo found it a little harder getting around and down to the dock where the Aquila sat, just returned from New York, but there was no chance he was going to miss this delivery. The return of the Aquila meant that Charles' possessions had arrived but more importantly, his precious dogs would be waiting for him.

Swinging along the dirt track as quickly as he could, Lorenzo had no doubt Charles was desperate to see his dogs again but he was holding back, staying beside Lorenzo as they eased along the sloping path. Flat ground was fine for Lorenzo but this drop down from the cliffs to the harbour was a little bit harder for him to manage.  
'Just go on ahead, Charles. I'll be right behind you.' Lorenzo grinned, using one of his crutches to nudge Charles lightly. 'Go on, I can tell you want to see your dogs.'  
'No, they're used to my absences. I would rather stay close to you, this path can be treacherous and I don't want you to fall.' Charles replied, gaze drifting over to where the Aquila was docked.  
'And if I fall, I'll get back up. You don't have to hold my hand all the time Charles, I need to learn to be independent again. I'm never going to learn if you're always hovering close to catch me when I stumble.' Lorenzo sighed, stopping and turning to look up at Charles. 'Go, I will be fine. I have to learn to do this for myself.'  
'Very well. I will wait for you on the docks.' Charles nodded, leaning in to catch a soft kiss before turning and hurrying down the path.

Shaking his head slowly, Lorenzo chuckled softly and continued his slow journey, mostly ignoring the growing ache in his abdomen from the technique he'd developed for getting around on these crutches. With time he had no doubt he would be come even better with them and the ache would fade away into nothing of major significance but for now he was stuck with the discomfort. At least he had Charles around to give him a loving massage each night and ease the tension.

Skidding in the dirt as he reached the bottom of the slope, Charles turned towards the Aquila and started running again, picking up the faint sound of dogs barking from somewhere onboard the elegant ship. He recognised some of his furniture being offloaded and placed on the waiting carts for the journey up to the homestead but he paid little attention to most of it, he'd come here for one reason only.

Weaving through the men unloading the Aquila, he slid to a stop beside the ship and caught Faulkner's eye, waiting either for his dogs to be handed over or for permission to board and retrieve them personally.  
'We'll have 'em over to you in just a moment Charles.' Faulkner called, lunging in to help when someone stumbled and almost dropped one of the two large travelling chests Charles had had since leaving England. 'Careful lads!'  
'I do hope they weren't a bother for you, Robert.' Charles replied, stepping up to help with the heavy oak desk he was so proud of, a gift from his father right before he abandoned the British cause for the Patriots.  
'Apart from there being a few more than you said, they haven't been a problem since we loaded them. They seemed happy with their quarters for the trip and were well adored by the crew.' Faulkner chuckled, disappearing from sight for a moment. 'Get this one down next, Charles is waiting for 'em!'  
'Not planning on keeping one are ya?' that sounded a lot like Richard Clutterbuck but Charles couldn't be certain.  
'Nah, this is no life for a dog.' Faulkner replied, returning to the railing with a very familiar black ball of fur in his arms. 'This is the only one we had any trouble with. He wouldn't settle unless they had your blanket with him.'

Laughing both at what Faulkner said and at the sight of his favourite, Charles got as close to the hull as he could and stretched up as Faulkner leant over the railing and swung the little black dog out a little before letting go. The dog let out a yelp of fright but was only in the air for a few seconds before he was safely wrapped up in Charles' arms.  
'It's okay Spado, I'm here boy.' Charles grinned, turning the startled dog in his arms. Letting out a happy bark, tail beating against Charles' arm, Spado lunged up and gave him a big sloppy kiss.  
'Ah, so that's why he was so anxious without your smell. He's the favourite.' Faulkner chuckled, keeping one eye on the larger crate being carefully carried down by the Clutterbuck brothers.  
'Well, the memory of a favourite. This is the fifth black Pomeranian I've had named Spado, the first was a boyhood companion.' Charles explained, heading for the crate being carefully set down at a safe distance from the rest of the unloading. 'You said something about a few extras?'  
'I won't ruin the surprise for you, Charles. Just go have a look; they're all in the crate. I made sure to count 'em twice before you got here and again just a minute ago.' Faulkner smirked, turning away to get back to the unloading process.

Taking a knee beside the crate, Charles set Spado in with the others and did a quick count of his own, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. All three of his bitches were busily nursing pups as the six studs kept watch over them. Ten little pups, two litters of three and Izzy had four to tend to but all three of his girls seemed to be handling their new responsibilities quite well.  
'That's a girl Izzy; let me have a look at one.' Charles soothed, reaching in and gently gathering a little black and white pup into his hands. 'Shhh, you are safe here little one.'  
'See, I told you I could make it.' Lorenzo called, swinging over to join him by the crate. 'What's this? You never said anything about pups.'  
'I had no idea any of them were pregnant. I knew it was coming and left instructions with Miss Jacobs to keep them separated for a few weeks until the heat passed.' Charles sighed, examining the little pup in his hands. 'It's hard to say who fathered which litter at this age but I have a funny feeling Spado mounted Izzy this time.'  
'What are you going to do with them all? I know Connor said he was okay with small dogs in the house but I doubt he'll like the idea of nineteen of them running about.' Lorenzo shrugged, perching on the edge of the crate and reaching down to scratch one of the dogs behind the ears lightly. 'Hello there.'  
'That's Thomas, the slightly crazy one of the pack.' Charles grinned, setting the pup back down carefully. 'As for the pups, I thought I'd ask around and see if any of our friends would be interested in a new companion. I first thought of Father Timothy, he lives alone so a little dog to keep him company might be appreciated.'  
'Lance would probably go for that as well. If you can show Ellen that a Pomeranian is a good guard dog, she might take one since it's just her and her daughter.' Lorenzo agreed, chuckling as another of the dogs came over to sniff his hand. 'Yes, hello to you as well.'  
'Well that's a surprise, John won't usually have anything to do with strangers.' Charles remarked, reaching out to stroke another of the nursing mothers. 'Good girl Jenny.'  
'Wait a minute…Thomas and John…I have a feeling there's a Benjamin, William and Haytham in here somewhere.' Lorenzo smirked, shifting his hand to stroke the nearest mother.  
'The black and tan is Ben, Will is the brindle and this wolf sable is Haytham.' Charles nodded, rolling his eyes when Spado started demanding more attention. 'You already had cuddles, Spado, let the others have their chance.'

Reaching into the crate and lifting out the one Charles had indicated as Haytham, Lorenzo set him on his lap and lightly stroked his fur, smiling softly as the handsome little dog sat and shifted to guide his hand to where he most wanted to be rubbed.  
'I can definitely see why you're known as Haytham. You've got that same quiet dignity, though without the arrogance I noticed.' Lorenzo noted, fingers carding through the soft fur. 'Good boy, such a good boy.'  
'We've got space on one of the wagons if you'd prefer.' Faulkner offered, coming over to join the pair at the crate. 'I admit it, we're going to miss having them onboard.'  
'You're always welcome to come up to the homestead and see them.' Charles replied, noticing Will had gotten all excited. 'Looks like someone wants a little extra attention from you Robert.'  
'Aye, this one was a real boon to life onboard. Every time we let him out of the crate for a run, he'd come back with a handful of rats he'd killed below decks.' Faulkner laughed, scooping Will out of the crate and propping him up on his shoulder. 'Twice a day without fail, he'd drop at least four at the feet of whoever was closest.'  
'I had a feeling he might. Many a time I had complaints from the maids that Will was leaving dead rats at their feet. He's got a hunting instinct that one.' Charles laughed, sweeping his gaze over the pups again. 'Perhaps if one of the pups shows the same instincts you could take them onboard as a mascot and rat catcher. Doesn't look like the trip bothered them too much at all.'  
'A life at sea is no life for a dog but I know the lads wouldn't turn down the offer. I suppose we could see how it went, none of them seemed to mind the journey so long as someone checked in on them every half-hour or so.' Faulkner nodded, running his fingers through Will's fur lightly. 'They'd likely fall over each other to be the one allowed to take the dog for a walk whenever we reached port.'  
'Only with your permission of course. If there is one here that will match up with what you want, they would have to be trained to follow one man, not the entire crew. And looking at the way Will seems to have become rather attached to you, I think any pup for the Aquila will first be yours.' Charles grinned, rubbing Ben's ears lightly. 'The wagon would be a good idea, the older dogs could make the walk but these pups are not up to it yet and I'd rather not separate them from their mothers to carry them all.'

Calling on the Clutterbuck brothers again, Faulkner set Will back in the crate and sighed softly as he let out an unhappy little bark at being put down. Shaking his head softly, Charles stood and stretched his back, trying to spot where each of the pups would fit but at this young age, he couldn't even be certain of their parentage. Haytham objected to being put back in the crate as well, trying to get back to Lorenzo and then trying his luck with Charles but he eventually settled when the crate was lifted and carried towards the wagon waiting just near the end of the dock.  
'Do you object to a ride home or are you still determined to make it on your own?' Charles asked, slotting in beside Lorenzo again.  
'I'll hitch a ride, I'm aching all over from that walk.' Lorenzo replied, waiting for the crate to be set down and made secure before setting his crutches up on the bed and vaulting up to sit beside the crate. 'I might have to look into some sort of support for my left ankle, all this pounding is really making it sore.'  
'We'll figure something out.' Charles agreed, climbing up to sit beside Lorenzo. 'It's going to take some shuffling in the house but we'll make it work.'  
'At least until we have our own place.' Lorenzo nodded, snuggling in against Charles as Faulkner climbed up and settled beside them.  
'Figured you might need some extra hands to get everything and everyone settled in up at the homestead.' Faulkner shrugged, reaching into the crate behind them. 'Even if you don't have another ratter in the litter, we'd still take one.'  
'I have no doubt of that, Robert. They're a bit young still but soon, another few weeks at most before they can be given new homes and straining can really begin.' Charles chuckled, hugging Lorenzo close and keeping a firm grip on the wagon as it set off back towards the homestead.

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Waking slowly, becoming aware of a light hand tracing over his chest and toying with the thick hair there, Charles smiled softly as he shifted and tightened his grip around Lorenzo's waist. This was a big step in their relationship and Charles knew he had been gifted with something truly precious. One thing was for sure, Charles had no doubt he would be sore when he did eventually get out of bed. Right now though, he was content to simply drift and enjoy this moment, loving fingers tracing battle worn skin as they enjoyed the morning.

Mind drifting back to what they had shared the night before, Charles sighed softly and tugged Lorenzo closer, shifting to brush a loving kiss across his forehead. Admittedly, he'd been nervous when Lorenzo had first suggested taking their relationship further but Lorenzo had been so cautious with him, whispering reassurances and constantly checking he was ready for this. With Lorenzo, it was easier to forget about the torment he had endured in the past, the memories of pain and broken trust faded away to be replaced with memories of love and tenderness.  
'Thank you, Lorenzo.' Charles muttered, still practically asleep as he cuddled with his lover. 'Last night was wonderful.'  
'You're not too sore?' Lorenzo asked, propping up on his elbows. 'I know you've been hurt in the past so I tried to be gentle.'  
'I feel fine, when I get up might be different but for now I feel no pain.' Charles grinned, tugging Lorenzo down for a kiss. 'You were perfect last night.'  
'So were you. You look so beautiful when you let go.' Lorenzo sighed, happy to snuggle back in against Charles. 'I love you, Charles.'  
'I love you too, Lorenzo.' Charles replied, brushing his hair back out of his eyes. 'I am so lucky to have you. You showed me that I do not need to be afraid of a man's touch.'

Sharing another sweet kiss, the contentedly lovers were rather rudely disturbed by a loud banging on their bedroom door before it swung open and Connor entered, looking like he was about to give them a full scale rant. But seeing the pair wrapped up in each other, blankets settled low over their hips, he closed his mouth with an audible click and spun away to stare at the wall beside the door.  
'Is there something you needed, brother?' Lorenzo asked, managing to hook one corner of the blankets and pull them up over his back.  
'The dogs are getting desperate for a walk, Giovanni already tried twice to coax them outside but they won't go.' Connor replied, still staring at the wall. 'And Dr White is here to check on your leg. He's waiting for you in the sitting room.'  
'We will be down shortly.' Charles nodded, refusing to look at Connor as Lorenzo lightly stroked his flushed cheeks.  
'Next time, wait before you enter. Unless you want another embarrassment like this.' Lorenzo added, half sitting up over Charles. 'Now out with you…or do you really want to see a lot more?'

Whipping around to glare at Lorenzo, Connor let out a squawk of disgust when Charles started to push the blankets back and fled from the room, much to the amusement of the lovers. Waiting until the door was closed fully, Lorenzo flicked the blankets back and rolled off Charles, turning to land safely on his butt on the edge of the bed. Grabbing his crutches from where he'd tucked them the night before, he eased up and hopped over to his clothing chest, digging around inside for a clean pair of breeches as Charles stood and stretched.  
'Was that your back?' Lorenzo asked, looking back over his shoulder at the dull pop he heard.  
'No, my knee.' Charles replied, leaning on the bed as he rubbed at his left knee. 'Been a problem for a few years now.'  
'you should talk to Ellen about her fur supports, Father Timothy says his braces are the most incredible thing he's ever tried for his bad knees.' Lorenzo suggested, slinging his breeches over his shoulder and moving to grab out a clean pair for Charles. 'Warren swears by his back brace too, he never goes without it according to Prudence.'  
'Sounds like something I should absolutely look into.' Charles nodded, catching his breeches and a clean undershirt. 'It would be nice to not have to deal with the constant discomfort anymore.'

Dressing quickly and making sure all signs of their night were hidden properly, the happy lovers hurried downstairs to face another day on the homestead. Stealing another kiss at the foot of the stairs, Lorenzo hopped towards the sitting room with a promise to catch up with Charles later. Whistling for his dogs to follow him, Charles left the house with all nineteen of them and a plan to meet with Lorenzo at the Inn for a late breakfast before they got down to work.

Making his way across the damp grass, the smell of fresh spring rain in his nose, Charles smiled as the pups bounded around his feet, barking excitedly to be outside exploring. To see them so happy, Charles almost regretted what was to come but he knew he couldn't allow personal feelings to get in the way of today. It was finally time for the pups to go to their new homes, everything had been arranged so they all had the best chace at thriving in their new homes but still Charles worried about how they would go when they were all separated.

He had total confidence in the people who had agreed to take them in and they had been attending training classes for the last few days to get the pups used to them and start on some basic obedience and toilet training. Charles had gotten all of the pups to the point they knew to bark at the nearest outside door if they had to go but the real challenge would come when each pup had to learn a new door and possibly a different signal that they needed to go out.

Stepping out of the grass and onto the track, Charles kept checking where each of the dogs was, calling them back when they strayed too far from him and checking for any wild animals that had strayed too close. It was unlikely but he had seen wolves and foxes on these paths and he wasn't going to risk the dogs being attacked.  
'Good morning Charles.' Dave called, lifting one hand in greeting as he approached.  
'Morning Dave.' Charles replied, snagging one of the pups and hoisting him up.  
'Ah-ha, there's me boy. Spark, over here boy.' Dave grinned, wading through the other dogs to gather his new friend to his chest. 'That's it Spark, good boy.'  
'Today is the day, he'll be on your bed tonight instead of trying to find space on mine.' Charles nodded, watching the pup greet Dave with a big, enthusiastic kiss. 'As much as I adore them all, it's a bit much with nineteen trying to get their space on one bed.'  
'Must be hard for you and Renzo to get any private time.' Dave smirked, pointing at Charles' neck quickly. 'You're showing a little something there.'  
'Dammit Lorenzo.' Charles sighed, realising he had a rather unfortunate mark above his collar. 'Oh well, it's not like we ever made a total secret of our relationship.'  
'Startled a few of the lads to realise Renzo was that sort but now, it don't really seem to matter. So long as he's happy, we can't ask for much more.' Dave shrugged, settling the pup down to rest in his arms. 'You seem to have settled into the village lifestyle. After the rough welcome you got, I thought you might take off.'  
'Takes more than a round of fisticuffs to get me to back down. I did think the beating was perhaps deserved, I had caused a lot of pain in the past but I am grateful for the chance to prove I am not the monster so many thought I was.' Charles replied, enjoying the chance to relax and have a decent chat with Dave.  
'You got stuck in with whatever needed doing, regardless of how dirty the job turned out to be. That earned you a lot of support, even if you did wind up with your face in the mud a few times.' Dave chuckled, stroking his pup lightly. 'I heard you were able to entertain Hunter without much effort.'  
'Little Hunter found it hilarious to see me go into the mud, you'd think it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. I guess it was funny, if a little embarrassing at the time.' Charles shrugged, finding it easier to smile at the memory with each retelling of the story.

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Accepting the little black pup that they had chosen as their own, Oliver draped her over his shoulder as he'd seen Charles do and smiled as she licked his cheek before settling down, apparently quite happy with her vantage point. The smallest of the pups, she was a sweet little dear but she certainly knew how to stand up for herself and could often be found getting into it with the other pups so she got her fair share of everything.  
'that's a girl, Mary.' he uttered, stroking her muzzle lightly with his knuckles as he went back to pouring drinks for the others that had gathered this morning.  
'Someone's got you wrapped around her paws.' Charles grinned, welcoming Spado up onto his lap and rubbing under his chin.  
'And she knows it.' Oliver agreed, setting a tankard in front of Charles before handing two over to Godfrey. 'It's hard not to love her though, she's such a sweet little dear.'  
'And likely she'll always be small enough to drape over your shoulders. I've noticed that the runt of a litter always ends up a little smaller than the others.' Charles nodded, looking down at the feel of someone tugging on his boot. 'Sass, hunt the rats. Go on, hunt the rats.'  
'Rats? There are no rats here.' Corrine protested, handing Ellen her breakfast and turning to Charles as little Sass bounded away in a blur of chocolate and tan fur.  
'The search will surely keep Sass entertained for a while, even if there are none here. Connor thought he'd dealt with them in the house too but little Sass found a couple hiding in the kitchen and promptly dispatched them before presenting them to Connor.' Charles shrugged, sipping his drink and listening to his dogs as they all tried to get comfortable around the fire. 'If there is a rat in the building, Sass will find it. He's been a ratter since he could keep all four paws in harmony to run fast enough to catch them. He got it from his father I'd say, apparently Will killed quite a few rats onboard during the trip from New York.'

Setting Spado back on the floor when he made it clear he wanted to go join the others by the fire, Charles half turned when one of the pups started barking and raced across to greet whoever had come inside. Crouching, Lance swept the pup up and cuddled him close, laughing as he was given a thorough licking.  
'That's enough Digger, that's enough.' Lance grinned, calming the little boy with a gentle hand on his back. 'There's a good boy, settle down.'  
'He knows something is going on, Lance.' Charles nodded, turning again when he heard another skitter of little feet nearby. 'And Corrine, I do apologise but it appears you were wrong. Sass has come back with two rather fat rats.'  
'Oh my, wherever did he find those?' Corrine sighed, peering over the bar at the two dead rats. 'If one of you gentlemen would be so kind as to dispose of them.'  
'No need, Robert insisted that he be taught to dispose of his own kills' Charles replied, looking down at Sass. 'Away with them Sass.'

Picking up the two dead rats again, Sass raced across the room and darted outside, bounding down the one step and running across the grass as Lance held the door for him. Dragging his kills out into the trees, he threw them out a little further before running back towards the inn, bounding up the step and heading straight to Charles for his reward.  
'Good boy Sass, good boy.' Charles smiled, scooping the pup up onto his lap for a cuddle. 'Corrine, would you happen to have a suitable reward for Sass? He did manage what you claimed impossible in your establishment.'  
'Of course, I will find him something special.' Corrine nodded, bustling back out to her kitchen as Lance came over to join Charles at the bar.  
'So why is Digger so excited for today?' Lance asked, settling beside Charles and nodding to Oliver.  
'It's time the pups went to stay with their new families. Digger already saw Spark trot away with Dave and he can see Mary perched up on Oliver's shoulder so of course he wants to stay with you all the time now.' Charles explained, chuckling as Sass planted both front paws on his arm and tried to get closer to whatever was on the plate Corrine had just set out for him. 'Oh now that really is spoiling him, Corrine. At this rate, he'll never want to go with Robert.'  
'Perish the thought, if Sass is not at your feet, he's bundled up under Robert's coat as happy as you please.' Lorenzo countered, thumping his way over to settle at the bar. 'Lyle says everything is mostly healed up. Just a couple of spots that are still a little tender but soon I can start using the peg without too much concern.'  
'That's good, no doubt you're tired of those things.' Charles nodded, leaning over to steal a quick kiss without disturbing Sass as he chewed on the scraps of meat he'd been given. 'A little reward from Corrine for dealing with a couple of rats.'  
'And it seems Mary has found her favourite spot in all the world.' Lorenzo chuckled, catching the tankard Oliver slid his direction. 'My thanks Oliver.'  
'Aye, she's a wonderful little dog. Feels like she belongs there.' Oliver agreed, nuzzling the pup draped so contentedly over his shoulder.

Bounding down from Charles' lap without finishing his treat, Sass started making such a fuss as he scrambled across the floor as fast as he possibly could. At first Charles thought he'd smelled another rat but then he heard the deep laugh of a friend and picked up his tankard as he turned. Sure enough, there was Robert Faulkner, barely even a step inside the door with Sass licking at his beard as his tail thudded rhythmically against Faulkner's belly.  
'Ah-ha, there's me boy. That's it Sass, I missed havin' ya around too.' Robert smiled, bundling the pup up in his arms and standing. 'Good boy, good boy.'  
'Like I said, there's no way Sass will ever be loyal to anyone but ol' Robert Faulkner. That's the truest love a dog can give, much the same as the love Spado has for you.' Lorenzo nodded, turning to watch the pair. 'It's meant to be for those two, no matter how good everyone else treats Sass.'  
'Which is why it feels so good to finally say this.' Charles nodded, waiting until Robert met his eyes to continue. 'He's all yours now Robert, there's nothing else to be gained by him staying with the rest of the pack. Take Sass home with you and watch him take up the best spot on the bed, your most comfortable chair and always be right there at your feet.'  
'You…thank you Charles.' Robert beamed, so thrilled to finally be able to take his little mate home and have him around at all times. 'Alright, alright, there you go Sass.'

Letting out another happy bark, Sass burrowed into the opened coat and squirmed around to settle in the large pocket Robert had sewn inside to suit him. For now it was far too big for him, having been measured to fit Will comfortably, but that didn't mean Sass liked the spot any less. Smiling bright as he ever had, Robert curled one arm under the hidden pocket and wandered over to sit at the bar, laughing softly as Sass stuck his head out and rested against his knuckles.  
'Someone is already spoilt rotten.' Lorenzo teased, leaning over to sweep Thomas off the floor and settle him on his lap. 'That's not yours Thomas.'  
'Here, Sass earned that for dealing with a couple of rats out the back. He even dragged them outside once he'd presented them to Corrine.' Charles explained, sliding the plate along to Robert. 'Sass is no more spoilt than Spado. Besides, there is little doubt all of the pups will end up spoilt by their new owners.'  
'Corrine, might we trouble you for some breakfast? We overslept and missed the morning cook up. You know how Vanni is when he's cooking.' Lorenzo grinned, still lightly stroking Thomas as he sipped his drink.  
'Of course my dear, there is always plenty for you here.' Corrine nodded, emerging from the kitchen she had. 'Vanni does like his efforts to be appreciated at their best.'  
'That would be putting it mildly.' Charles agreed, smiling softly as he relaxed against the bar. 'I still have a scar on my arm from that one time I tried to run off with a carrot.'  
'I did warn you it was a bad idea. You can just be grateful he threw a tin plate not the knife in his other hand.' Lorenzo sniggered, ducking the lazy swipe aimed at the back of his head.  
'Even with a tin plate he's dangerous. Five stitches from a plate, I still have no idea how he did that.' Charles retorted, rubbing his arm lightly. 'I suppose I can consider myself lucky Connor wasn't in the kitchen that day.'  
'Come on, we'll enjoy our breakfast and get onto the serious business of the day. We've still got a few precious little bundles of fluff and love to return home.' Lorenzo grinned, setting Thomas down and getting up. 'I told Lyle we'd bring his Connie around to his home a little later. He had to go see Prudence and Warren, her second pregnancy is taking a bit more of a toll on her than Hunter did.'  
'Hopefully they are blessed with another healthy child.' Charles nodded, grabbing their drinks and following Lorenzo over to a table near the fire and thus near the dogs.

This was the main reason they'd chosen to start at the inn and work their way out to deliver all of the pups home. It was the primary meeting place for the townsfolk to gather for a chat and a break from their daily labours, so it made sense for it to become the starting point for their busy day as well. That and the fact they could get a decent feed and plot out their walk through the village. But if things kept going the way they were, there was a chance the lovers wouldn't have to go anywhere to get the pups to their new families.

Hearing the door open behind him, Lorenzo didn't bother to look at who had come in, he could tell it was Ellen and Maria when little Peter, the black parti, shot to his feet and took off across the room with a happy little yip. He was a quiet sort, using only the smallest of sounds to get attention but when provoked, he unleashed quite the response. Aggressive when his home turf was threatened, he'd already learned that Ellen and Maria were his to guard and adore, whatever the risk he had to confront.  
'What time did you want us to bring Peter back to the pack for the night?' Ellen asked, coming over to their table with Maria and Peter trotting along behind.  
'Only if there is a problem with him. It is time he learned your routines fully, there is little else I can teach him in a home environment. From now on, training will be done outside as I guide you in how to train Peter.' Charles replied, watching the young dog as he kept a sharp eye on his new owners. 'He is already dedicated to you, it is only a matter of refining what he knows and training him to follow your commands.'  
'Thank you, Mr Lee, thank you.' Maria smiled, stepping up to throw her arms around his neck.  
'You will take good care of Peter now, won't you Maria? I will be available if you have any questions, but he is your responsibility now.' Charles grinned, gently embracing the young girl.  
'I understand, Mr Lee. I will take good care of Peter, I promise.' Maria nodded, releasing Charles and stepping back to sweep Peter up onto her shoulders.  
'Good girl.' Charles praised, turning back to his meal as Maria followed her mother away.

Now things appeared to have calmed down a bit, the dogs were dozing and the door stayed closed for the time being, Charles could only hope they might avoid any more excitement for a little while. He had other matters to discuss with Lorenzo but it was tricky to have a serious conversation on a different topic while the dogs were quietly asking for attention.  
'Any more thoughts on what we were talking about last night?' Lorenzo asked, taking his time with the full cooked breakfast Corrine had made for him.  
'We talked about many things last night before you decided a demonstration was in order.' Charles replied, chuckling softly when Lorenzo choked on his drink.  
'Your plans to show you are determined to stay and become a hard-working member of society here, you muckworm.' Lorenzo sighed, rolling his eyes as he lightly kicked Charles in the shin. 'Get your mind above my belt, if you please.'  
'But I rather like what you have below decks.' Charles replied, enjoying this chance to tease Lorenzo a little. 'I have put more thought into it and I think I have a plan but I would need to speak with Lyle and Timothy to check if it will really work.'  
'Okay, now you have my full attention. What are you thinking, Charles?' Lorenzo grinned, reaching out to take Charles' hand. 'You know I'll never give you bad advice.'  
'I keep thinking about the large proportion of people living here who are illiterate or close to being considered illiterate. I have the time to dedicate to teaching them and it certainly would go a long way to earning their trust and support if I was to spend a few hours each day either in classes or one-on-one with those who would like to learn.' Charles explained, feeling good about the idea but he was wary it would not work out.  
'I think it's a wonderful idea Charles. I can think of many who would be delighted to learn these things, but no one has had the time to teach proper classes or even offer basic guidance on the subject.' Lorenzo nodded, so proud of Charles for coming up with the idea. 'See, I keep telling you that you just have to open up and these people will come to see what I see. You have a good heart, you just need to stop and think sometimes.'

Jumping a little when someone touched his shoulder, Charles turned and smiled up at Myriam and Norris, noticing their new companion already half-asleep in Norris' strong arms. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts and talking to Lorenzo that he hadn't even realised the little boy had moved from his spot by the fire.  
'I apologise, Charles. We did not mean to startle you.' Myriam offered, reaching out to stroke the dozy pup Norris was holding.  
'No need, I should have been paying more attention.' Charles shrugged, draining his tankard. 'I had no expected to see you both until later.'  
'I was speaking with Big Dave and he told me today was the day so I ran to get Myriam so we could take Snowy home for good. It has been hard to have to give him back each night.' Norris explained, completely in love with the little dog. 'But there was something else we wanted to ask you.'  
'I have no doubt Snowy will bring you many years of joy…and take up all the most comfortable spots in the house.' Charles nodded, reaching up to lightly stroke Snowy's back. 'What else can I help you with?'  
'Normally we would have gone to Father Timothy or Doctor White with this but they are both busy so we thought you could help.' Myriam sighed, pulling up a chair and holding out a letter. 'Could you read this for us, please?'  
'Of course, I appreciate the trust shown.' Charles agreed, accepting the envelope and pulling out the neatly folded pages inside. 'I just have a quick question before we begin with this. Would either of you be interested in learning to read and write?'  
'I would, it would be nice to read any arriving letters without needing to ask for help.' Norris shrugged, soothing Snowy when he stirred at the movement. 'It is hard to run my mine and sell the metal I get out without being literate.'  
'I agree, learning to read and write would be a benefit to our lives. I would very much like to learn but no one here seems to have the time to teach.' Myriam agreed, wrapping one arm around Norris' shoulders and shuffling closer to him.  
'I have the time and the desire to help, Myriam. I will organise a suitable place and offer classes to anyone who wishes to learn. I plan to set aside time for one-on-one instruction as well, for those who are having difficulty.' Charles replied, unfolding the letter in his hand. 'Leave it to me, I will figure something out and let you know.'  
'This is very kind of you Charles. No doubt you will find many who are eager to learn.' Norris smiled, settling back in his chair. 'The idea of being able to read and write properly, I like this.'  
'It would be my pleasure, Maurice.' Charles added, a little twinkle in his eyes as he revealed that he knew the truth about Norris. 'Now, let us see what this is all about.'

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Standing on the cliffs overlooking the cove and the Aquila down below, Lorenzo couldn't help but think back to all the times he raced through rigging, bounding fearlessly among the yards and scampering up and down the masts. The Aquila felt like home, he was comfortable there and felt safe whenever he strode across her decks. In a strange way, the Aquila had become his mother and the crew his extended family. He felt secure among them and knew they would always be there to catch him if he fell.

Looking out towards her, Lorenzo felt the call of the ocean and sighed, dropping his gaze to his mutilated leg. He longed to return to the sea and go on another adventure, first to Martha's Vineyard to catch up on the latest news from the area and then down to the Caribbean or perhaps along the coast to deal with raiders. To hear her cannons roar at his command as she danced across the waves. To feel her smooth timbers under his palms as he held on through a storm, be he up the mainmast or at the wheel. To smell the salt air and listen to the cook grumble as he prepared another meal for the ravenous crew amid the wind and waves.

Sighing softly, Lorenzo eased down to sit on an old tree stump that often served as his seat, still gazing out to the Aquila as he lightly rubbed his stump. He missed the sea, the crew and the Aquila but he knew deep down that he would never again sail the Atlantic or order the crew into battle. The Aquila deserved the best crew available, not some cripple who could barely walk. He had no place onboard the Aquila anymore and as much as it hurt to admit, he knew he would never again stand on her deck and watch the clouds chase them to sea.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Lorenzo had no reason to worry about anyone coming up behind him and continued watching the Aquila bob and sway at her moorings, almost as though she was beckoning him to come back to her.  
'Robert said we'd likely find ya up here.' Richard mused, settling on the ground near Lorenzo.  
'He wasn't kidding about the view. Little wonder you like it up here, skipper.' David agreed, sinking down with a soft groan. 'She looks beautiful from up here.'  
'Aye, truly a Queen of the Atlantic.' Richard nodded, gazing out to the Aquila with a fond smile.  
'I can only assume Mr Faulkner sent you two up here for a reason.' Lorenzo sighed, accepting that he would have no more peace to think about his regrets. 'You aren't usually the pair to interrupt my thinking time.'  
'The men are worried about ya, skipper. They get the feelin' ya don't want to know us anymore.' David replied, turning to look up at Lorenzo. 'We hardly see ya anymore, not since ya injury.'  
'Even when ya last came near the Aquila, ya ignored the crew in favour of stayin' with Charles.' Richard shrugged, leaning back on one hand and looking up at Lorenzo.  
'So you thought you'd come up here, disturb my solitude and try to guilt me into returning?' Lorenzo asked, careful to keep the accusation out of his tone. 'What would you have me doing? Sit and sing shanties while the battles rage around us?'  
'Don't give us that, skipper. Ya still got a use onboard and I reckon ya more than capable of still gettin' up the riggin' without too much trouble.' Richard countered, shaking his head quickly. 'I heard that ya still capable of climbin' trees near the homestead so why not?'  
'Yes, I did manage to get up a tree but just getting that far took me almost an hour of trying to figure out how to manage it.' Lorenzo admitted, pushing his anger down. 'The Aquila moves in every direction, getting a stable foothold would be near impossible. It would be a waste of my time to try anyway, I am no longer fit for the sea.'  
'That ain't true and ya know it skipper. Ya promised to come back, ya said that one day ya would return to the seas. Blake worked hard on the leg ya wanted, it's sittin' in the cap'n's quarters just waitin' for ya. Ya gave ya word that ya would return and the men are holdin' onto that.' David replied, deeply hurt by the idea of Lorenzo never returning to sea. 'Ya promised and we ain't forgot.'

Dropping his gaze, Lorenzo realised that he had made a terrible mistake in avoiding the crew of the Aquila. He had promised to return to their fine ship one day and take up a new place but instead he'd taken to hiding away from them and doing everything he could to stay out of their notice. Apart from that one day bantering with Faulkner and the Clutterbuck brothers and his trek down to the dock when Charles' belongings arrived, he had kept his distance from the crew, ashamed of his physical limitations.  
'You've made your point, David. Calm down, before it gets any harder to follow what you're saying. I admit, I have been hiding from the crew, I hate what I have become and how much harder life is since my injury. Just standing up to take a piss is an exercise in balance and humiliation if I get it wrong.' Lorenzo sighed, running one hand though his hair.  
'You know the men won't say anything inappropriate, skipper. They'll be glad to have you back, regardless of the challenges. You know they'll be all too happy to lend a hand with anything you need.' Richard offered, sitting up properly and hopeful that Lorenzo would agree to return. 'Heard Jacobs saying that if you came back, he'd even carry you up the rigging if you wanted to get up to your perch.'  
'Blake even modified your perch a little, adding in a couple of extra handholds and some new rope loops to make certain you had a secure position.' David nodded, his proper speech returning now that his concerns had been eased.  
'Oh no, I am not so helpless as to need someone to carry me up the rigging. If I can get up there on my own, fine. If not, I'll adapt to a deck position.' Lorenzo corrected, stretching his back and turning his gaze back to the Aquila. 'I have missed her, more than I feel comfortable admitting.'  
'Aye, and she's certainly missed you, skipper. We've all missed having you about.' David agreed, gaze going back to the waiting ship. 'Can't you hear her calling you back to her?'  
'Aye, but it's not just me anymore David. I won't abandon Charles for weeks on end. If I go he'll come along too but I don't think he's fully comfortable sailing.' Lorenzo sighed, gathering his crutches and getting to his feet. 'And now that he's come up with this idea to teach people their letters, it's even busier for us.'  
'Teaching people their letters…well, I can think of a few lads onboard that would like that. Lot of 'em can't even spell their own names, much less anything complicated. They'd jump at the chance to learn.' Richard noted, shifting into a more comfortable position. 'But if he's teaching the villagers will be have the time to teach the crew as well?'  
'If he can get a few others to help, I think we can make it work. I would have to discuss it with him first but there is a good chance we could make it work.' Lorenzo shrugged, already planning out how to get Charles onboard with his plan.  
'I could help with the lessons. Ain't got a fancy education but I can read and write better than most sailors. Robert's got a better grasp of his letters and sometimes reads a book out loud if the crew pester him enough and can mostly agree on one story.' David offered, pulling his gaze away from the Aquila again.  
'We could both help, after a little guidance from Charles to improve a bit more. My letters aren't so good but I can read better than David.' Richard grinned, rolling his shoulders as he turned to Lorenzo. 'For sure Robert will want in on this, he's got the patience to teach…when he's not busy yelling at the lads for slacking off.'

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'Please Renzo, please wake up. I can't lose you fratello, wake up and show me you're okay. Wake up Renzo, wake up.' Vanni pleaded, seated beside his brother in the critical care ward onboard the Sunset Eagle. He'd been here ever since Lorenzo came out of surgery, refusing to leave for any reason and determined to be there when his precious twin woke up. Right now the Sunset Eagle was racing for home, their holiday plans forgotten in the face of Lorenzo's horrific injuries.

Mario had tried to dislodge Vanni from his seat, if only to take his own turn sitting vigil over his son but Vanni refused, forcing his father to pull up another chair if he wanted to stay close to Lorenzo while they waited. Mario had lasted an hour before fleeing the room, unable to stand seeing his son so pale and weak in the bed, hooked up to all sorts of monitors and other equipment. Vanni hardly even noticed the beeping of the monitors anymore, he was far too concerned about Lorenzo never waking up again.

Head snapping up at the sound of a faint groan from the bed, Vanni shot to his feet and leant on the edge of the bed, relief and excitement building in his chest as he watched Renzo finally stir from his drug-induced slumber.  
'I'm here Renzo, I'm right here. Wake up fratello, we have all been so worried for you.' Vanni coaxed, clasping Lorenzo's left hand in his own and squeezing lightly.  
'Vanni?' Renzo muttered, dark eyes opening slowly. 'Where?'  
'You're on the Sunset Eagle.' Vanni replied, not caring about the tears rolling down his cheeks. 'It's okay now, fratello. We're heading home so you can be patched up fully.'

Realising what Lorenzo was trying to do what he kept shifting, Vanni slipped one arm under his shoulders and helped his brother to sit up and see the damage done. Reaching out, Lorenzo touched the end of his new stump lightly and nodded, eyes drooping again as Vanni eased him back down and smoothed out the blanket over him.  
'Tell madre…wanna keep…all my…scars.' Renzo mumbled, struggling to stay awake. 'Dream… reality…they all…important.'  
'I'll make sure she understands, Renzo.' Vanni nodded, still clasping Renzo's hand as he drifted back to sleep. 'Whatever it takes, I'll make sure you keep your scars.'

Vanni had no concerns about their parents not taking his message seriously, he knew all about the security camera in the corner of the room and knew his mother would be able to read Lorenzo's lips when she saw the footage. He could only hope she would follow Lorenzo's wishes without question and allow him to keep the horrid scars from this incident.  
'If I could, I would bring you your beloved to help you through this. If there was but a way, I would reach back through history and pull Charles back to your side. But I cannot, I have not the power to do such a thing. Instead, I stand by your side and will do all I can to make you happy again. Whatever you desire, simply tell me and I will go to the ends of this earth to bring it back for you.' Vanni promised, running his fingers through Renzo's hair softly as he spoke.


	15. Separating Realities

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Separating realities  
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Returning home after a lengthy hospital stay, months of rehab and countless arguments with people who thought they knew better, Lorenzo took his time hobbling through the ancient streets of Monteriggioni, speaking with the people who had been there to see him grow up and ignoring many of the comments from the tourists about his inappropriate and incorrect crutches. Sure, they we're exactly period accurate for the city but they were as close as he could get without having to redesign them completely.

He made no secret of his injury, he was proud of the fact he had survived being attacked by a shark, just as he had survived the accident with Connor's tomahawk. Best of all, he still had the scar on his leg that had come about from his dreams, the reminder of all he had suffered and survived truly powerful. No one could ever doubt he was a tough man, able to survive the worst the world threw at him and continue to stand tall against all comers.

Grateful for the extra bracing hidden inside his left boot to help his remaining ankle bear his weight, Lorenzo paused by one of the two smithies in the town and adjusted his tunic and cloak, noting how his crutches pulled at the heavy fabric and moved it out of proper placement. It felt good to be back in this outfit, he had missed it during his long stay in Firenze as he recovered from his injuries.

He was back to looking just like his father; soft grey breeches and his simple brown boots, long sleeved white shirt worn open at the collar and flaring out over his hands a little, leather armour half hidden under his partly opened purple tunic, held firm around his waist with his favourite worn brown leather belt buckled with the Assassin symbol and of course his black cape with the family crest in bright red, white and shining gold. He wore his short sword on his left hip, the weight of the blade spread along his sword-belt thanks to an intricate five strap carriage attached to the scabbard. For now though, if he did end up in a fight, he would have to rely first on his crutches and then on his hidden blades.

After all he had gone through; Lorenzo had refused to give back the prototype hidden blade Leonardo had asked him to test. If not for that little blade, there was a chance Lorenzo wouldn't have survived; he had nothing else with which to fight back against the beast. Upon hearing the story from Aloysius, Leonardo had gone to Lorenzo's bedside with a new undersleeve to go with the prototype and had sat there to sketch out the design before leaving Lorenzo with the original.

Satisfied with his appearance, Lorenzo stepped back out of the shadows and continued towards home, looking forward to sleeping in his own bed at long last. He had missed Vanni most of all, finding it hard to sleep without his beloved twin there beside him.  
'Ah, there you are Ser Lorenzo.' Antonio greeted, emerging from another narrow alleyway and coming over to walk beside him.  
'Don't start that again, Antonio.' Lorenzo sighed, rolling his eyes quickly. 'Have my parents been informed of my return?'  
'I am uncertain of this, Ser. It is possible that Yusuf told them but I do not know. They appeared oblivious when I left them.' Antonio replied, blocking an irritated tourist from getting near enough to Lorenzo to cause trouble.  
'No, I told Yusuf to keep his mouth shut about my return to the city. I would rather just show up and prove to them that I have no need for the false leg they wish for me to use.' Lorenzo shrugged, moving around the tourist still trying to talk to him. 'I admit, there would be less of this hassle if I did take it but I am proud of these injuries. I earned these wounds protecting our home, why should I hide that?'  
'I agree, Ser. You should not be forced to hide your battle scars if you do not wish to do so but you know your parents only want the best for you. Those wounded in war are so often frowned upon because they do not meet society norms.' Antonio nodded, turning to the man still trying to get close to Lorenzo. 'Unless you have pressing business with Ser Lorenzo, I suggest you leave. He has been away for many months and clearly wishes to see his family again.'  
'I just wanted to say thank you. I too lost a leg in combat but was always pushed to think it was a shame for me to be seen without my false leg.' the older man offered, dropping his gaze for a moment. 'It means a lot to me that someone of such power is willing to be seen as a cripple, even if we all know he is no such thing.'  
'It is nice to see I have some allies in the city. No doubt my parents will disagree but it is rare that a family lives without any arguments.' Lorenzo replied, turning and offering his hand. 'If you ever need anything while you are in the area, simply tell people you are my personal guest and they will hurry to assist. Just be sure not to abuse my trust, the guards do not take kindly to anyone who misuses the trust of the Auditore family.'  
'I will be careful, Lord Lorenzo. I thank you for your kindness.' the older man smiled, giving a respectful bow before leaving the area.

Even when he got to the sweeping staircase leading up to the grand villa, Lorenzo barely even slowed down, hopping up the stairs as if he'd been doing it for years. Coming off the lower stairs, he smiled at the sight of Dante in the training ring, both hands wrapped around the mighty broadsword Bianca. Bartolomeo stood nearby, watching Dante sparring with a couple of the local mercenari and making sure Dante was taking care of his body. Although no longer truly necessary, Mario had insisted on keeping a mercenary force at Monteriggioni to honour the legacy of the family and the battles that their ancestors had fought to maintain their city.

For the most the mercenari guarded the stairs leading up to the villa and the palazzo and took up positions on both sides of the three gates allowing people into their city, but they would also follow those who lived up here as they went about their daily routines in the lower section of the city. It was more for show but there had been a few incidents over the last couple of years that had proven the mercenaries were worth the cost.  
'Ser Lorenzo, we were not expecting you back for weeks. It is good to see you again.' Marco greeted, parrying another strike from Dante and stepping back out of the way. 'Take a break Dante, you have been working hard.'  
'It's good to be home at last, Marco.' Lorenzo grinned, coming over to lean against the wall of the training ring. 'I will miss our matches but one day I hope to return to proper training.'  
'Well, you could always ask my brother Angelo if he could teach you more about mounted combat. With a modified saddle and a little practise, I think you could become highly skilled with it.' Marco suggested, reaching out to lightly squeeze Lorenzo's shoulder.  
'I will certainly think about that, Marco.' Lorenzo nodded, excited with the prospect of not having to quit his training. 'Is my father sill in the villa?'  
'Si, your family has not been out to speak with the people today.' Marco replied, glancing towards the villa above them. 'Your parents should be coming out soon for their daily walk but it is hard to be certain at the moment. Their routines have changed in your absence.'  
'My thanks, Marco. Hopefully life will get back to normal soon.' Lorenzo sighed, adjusting his grip on his crutches and rolling his shoulders.

Circling around the training ring, Lorenzo came over to sit on the fence again as Dante sheathed Bianca and came over to wrap him up in a tender hug. Dante had always been particularly gentle around Lorenzo and his siblings, treating them with a light hand and making sure he did nothing to hurt them.  
'I guess our wrestling matches will have to stop now.' Dante remarked, sitting back and adjusting the way his sword was sitting.  
'At least for a little while. As soon as I get the all clear, we can go back to them.' Lorenzo sighed, trying not to think about all of the things he had to give up now. 'But that's okay, there are other things we can do together.'  
'I'd like that.' Dante agreed, always willing to get involved with anything the Auditore children wanted to do.  
'Welcome home. It is good to have you back, Lorenzo.' Bartolomeo laughed, settling beside Lorenzo and tugging him into a bear hug. 'It hasn't been right to only have eleven young Lords and Ladies of Monteriggioni following their parents around.'  
'I can't say I particularly enjoyed being separated from them either. Don't get me wrong, I love my extended family but this is home.' Lorenzo chuckled, relaxing back into Bartolomeo's strength. 'I belong here, not in Firenze.'  
'I heard Mario talking about some surprise for you, he refused to tell me more of what it might be.' Bartolomeo shrugged, grateful that his close friendship with Emily had spread so all of the Auditore children knew they could rely on him for anything.  
'I think I might know what it is. I asked my parents for a very specific gift for my birthday, I can only hope they were able to get what I wanted.' Lorenzo chuckled, finding some comfort in Bartolomeo's arms but he could still remember the love he felt when he was with Charles.  
'Well then, you'd best get up there and see.' Bartolomeo remarked, hoisting Lorenzo back upright and holding him steady. 'I hope your birthday wishes come true, young Lord.'  
'Oh don't you start with that "young Lord" rubbish. I got enough of that from the medical team who were treating me all this time. Now that I am home, I just want to go back to being Renzo for a while.' Lorenzo sighed, settling his crutches and looking up towards the villa. 'And dream of the past again if I'm lucky.'

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Hard at work in his study, Vanni sitting beside him as they went over the books and made sure the city was ready to face another busy season, Mario had no doubt that Monteriggioni would be in good hands when it came time for him to hand it over to his eldest sons. Giovanni showed a real head for the accounts, easily balancing their spending against their income and making sure the farmlands beyond the walls remained profitable.

At the moment Mario was also busy watch over the youngest twins, Fabrizio and Filippo, the pair happily playing on their mat in the corner where Mario could keep one eye on them at all times. At just two, the youngsters were already showing that they were as close as brothers could be. They always fussed if separated, even for a few minutes and would babble away at each other for hours on end. Mario just hoped that tight bond would continue through the years and result in two strong branches on the family tree that stayed entwined for years to come.

Looking up from the accounts to properly check on the twins, Mario's breath caught when he realised they had some very special company standing in the doorway. As far as he'd known, Lorenzo wasn't due to return to Monteriggioni for another month or so, he was meant to wait and be fitted with his first new prosthetic but there he was, a fond smile on his face as he waited for permission to enter.  
'Renzo, what are you doing back so soon?' Mario asked, getting to his feet slowly.  
'Huh?' Vanni uttered, looking up from his work. 'Renzo!'  
'I made my own choice father.' Lorenzo shrugged, shifting to lean against the wall so he could wrap his twin up in his arms. 'I missed you too Vanni.'  
'Does your zio know you are here?' Mario sighed, concerned about this move from Lorenzo and hopeful he had at least told Giovanni about it.  
'Si, babbo. He saw me pack up and even waved me off when I left with Yusuf.' Lorenzo nodded, clutching Vanni close to him. 'I made my plans clear to zio Giovanni before I left.'  
'Somehow I am not surprised by this.' Mario chuckled, walking over to wrap his eldest sons in his arms. 'It is good to have you home at last.'  
'It's good to be home at last, babbo. This is where I belong.' Lorenzo agreed, trusting Mario to help hold him up.

Returning from walking the dogs, Emily entered the study to check on the young twins and stopped at the sight of Lorenzo hopping towards the large desk that ran almost the full width of the study. He was smiling bright as ever, arm around Vanni's shoulders and crutches left against the wall as he prepared to get back to work.  
'So, when should we be expecting the first fitting of your new prosthetic?' she asked, coming over to sit on the edge of the desk.  
'Never, if I have anything to say about it.' Lorenzo replied, settling at his spot and getting comfortable. 'You might have thought you could order a fancy new prosthetic with all the latest technology and three microprocessors to give it realistic movements throughout but you wasted the money on it mother.'  
'And what makes you think I wasted the money?' Emily sighed, glancing at Mario for support.

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head slowly, Lorenzo got back up and vaulted over the table with an athletic grace, right hand planted on the ornately carved desk to keep his balance as he confronted his mother again. This had been a point of contention ever since that damned shark attack, she had been pushing him to get a fancy new prosthetic but he did not want it.  
'Because if you continue down this path, it will sit up in the attic and be forgotten about. I have already said twice that I had no desire for any fancy piece of steel and fibreglass. I am proud of my battle scars and this amputation is no different. My tanned skin is covered in scars of two different lives, two complete opposite times and I am proud of each and every scar. I will not hide this amputation, I will bear it with the same pride as every other mark upon my skin.' he insisted, tracing over a thick scar marring his right cheek. 'You did not insist that father had the operation to hide his scars so why should I?'  
'Renzo, you are still young with your life ahead of you. People will look down on you for your wounds, they will offer their pity and see only your disability, not what I know you are capable of. I push this so hard so you will never have to know how cruel people can be towards the war wounded.' Emily replied, shuffling closer and reaching out to clasp his hand. 'I only want to protect you from harsh words.'  
'Words are just words, they can do me no real harm. If people want to talk, let them. I know the truth of my scars and hold my head up high because of that. I knew from the moment I had the incident in the dreams that this was likely to happen and I am ready to face it. Let the ignorant try, I will not be shamed into hiding this injury.' Lorenzo shrugged, far more mature than most boys his age and his parents knew he was not easily ruffled.  
'Is there nothing I can say to convince you otherwise? You will surely tire of your crutches before you reach your next birthday.' Emily coaxed, determined to protect Lorenzo from the harshness of the world and the critics that would undoubtedly cause trouble for him.  
'I will accept something simple and appropriate to be shown around the historical sections of our city. Instead of spending thousands on a leg I will refuse, turn instead to the craftsmen here and have them create something beautiful but simple. I need naught more fancy than a hand carved peg, perhaps strengthened with a fine steel decoration.' Lorenzo shrugged, thoughts drifting to the two fine creations made for him in the dreams. 'I had two fine pegs made in the dreams, a sturdy oaken one with a wide flat panel on the end for shipboard life and a lighter one for land with multiple feet for different terrains and seasons.'

Shifting against the desk when his mother turned and headed down to the Sanctuary for some reason, Lorenzo kept thinking about the surprise Bartolomeo had mentioned. So far his parents were hiding it and he could hear nothing that might indicate what they had waiting for him.  
'Something more like this then, figlio mio?' Emily asked, emerging from the Sanctuary with a simple carved wooden leg in her hands. It had a faint green vine design twisting around it but otherwise was just bare timber.  
'Aye, that's just perfect madre. That's all I want, something basic like that.' Lorenzo nodded, eyes tracing the vines sweeping around the timber.  
'Bene, I will commission something for you. I know Messer Francesco is making some wonderful things, he should be able to turn out something similar to this.' Emily chuckled, accepting that there was nothing she could do to change Lorenzo's mind.  
'Grazie madre.' Lorenzo replied, relieved to put this argument behind him.

Getting up as Emily went to return the artefact to their hidden archives, Mario made sure the barriers were secure around the young twins in the corner before walking over to the door leading out to the gardens and disappearing from sight.  
'Though I still don't fully understand why you asked for such an unusual birthday gift, we were able to find what you wanted, exactly as you wanted. We trained them to respond to the names you listed, matching up everything on the list you gave us.' Emily remarked, returning to the study and bringing over a chair for Lorenzo to sit. 'Would you care to explain it to us?'  
'It's all from the dreams, a reminder of the man I loved above all others. Everything I put on that list matched up with what I knew in the dreams and the world created when hatred was turned into love.' Lorenzo shrugged, hopping over to settle in the chair and wait for his surprise to arrive.  
'Well, call them and see what happens.' Mario suggested, returning to the study and leaning against the wall near the door. 'We've been keeping them in a fenced enclosure until you arrived.'

Shifting off the chair to sit on the floor instead, Lorenzo let out a sharp whistle, first dropping it down before flicking it up to end on a high note. It was almost the same call as Charles had once used, the memory clear in Lorenzo's head and the results unmistakeable. Barking and pushing, the nine little balls of fluff came charging into the study and bounded straight to Lorenzo.  
'Spado…Thomas…Will…John…Ben…Haytham…Izzy…Kate…Jenny.' Lorenzo called, ruffling up each of his new companions as they came to him. 'They're exactly like the dreams, even the fur patterns look right for what I remember.'  
'We weren't sure about the patterns, Vanni could provide little guidance on your list.' Emily shrugged, watching over the dogs as they all tried to get into Lorenzo's lap at once.  
'My last dream was when we accepted Charles to live with us and we were discussing writing the British Assassins for information regarding Edward Kenway.' Vanni added, coming around to perch on the edge of the desk and watch the dogs.  
'That explains why I never saw you in my last dream sequence. It was really nice, Charles got his delivery from New York, including his nine Poms and ten pups that we spread out to the people of the village. Robert took one to serve as a ratter onboard to Aquila too, little Sass was a brilliant little killer.' Lorenzo smiled, accepting loving kisses from Thomas. 'Settle down Thomas. Good boy, you just settle there.'  
'I fell asleep against your hospital bed onboard the Sunset Eagle but never dreamed of Davenport. Every night since has been silent, I have seen nothing more.' Vanni sighed, disappointed that he had been left behind.  
'I've been dreaming of it every night since the incident, watching Charles develop into a truly welcome addition to the Davenport family. He's now teaching the villagers and crew to read and write properly.' Lorenzo chuckled, looking up to his brother. 'My guess, because it's all about Charles and me, you don't need to see it. Besides, you've already made it clear you didn't want to know all the details about our relationship.'  
'I love you, fratello, and respect that women will never turn your head but I do not want the sordid details. Especially not with Charles Lee.' Vanni shuddered, pushing his disappointment aside to share in the joy of Renzo's return to the family.  
'Babbo, would you mind…' Lorenzo started, hoisting Spado up for special cuddles as he spoke.  
'Of course not, figlio.' Mario grinned, collecting his crutches from where he'd left them. 'It is so good to have you home at last.'  
'It's good to be home, I missed the quiet life out here.' Lorenzo agreed, using the chair to get up partway before grabbing his crutches and settling on them. 'I just need some time to myself, there are so many things I need to think about.'  
'Take all the time you need, Renzo. You have been through so much, it's no surprise you need time to think.' Emily nodded, leaning in to kiss his forehead. 'Everything else can wait until you're ready to get back to your routines.'

Making his way out of the grand villa and across the lawn, Lorenzo felt a little better for the presence of the dogs around him but he still found it hard to fully adapt back into the real world after the joy he had found in the dreams. As much as he adored his family and this home, he longed for Charles and their simple yet comfortable room in the house on the hill. The dogs just served as a reminder of what he didn't have anymore.  
'If only I could, I would curl up in your arms and never wake again Charles.' Lorenzo muttered, picking his way over to one of the benches that overlooked the back gardens and sitting down. 'I miss you Charles. I know what we shared was just a series of dreams, whispers in the night that disappear with the dawn. But damn it, I'll take those dreams over this life here. I would gladly trade my noble blood and this grand house for a little shack by the creek with you in my arms. I'd give it all away just to have you back Charles.'

Gazing out across the lower gardens, refusing to allow his eyes to drift over to the silent hulk of the Aquila, Lorenzo barely even moved when his young eagle drifted down to perch beside him. Just three, she was only a young bird but already she could tell when her partner was in need of cheering up.  
'Now I get why you're my Charley girl.' Lorenzo muttered, reaching out to stroke her feathers when she nipped his ear. 'I'll be okay, beautiful, I just need some time to think.'

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'Never doubt that I love you, Lorenzo. No matter how far you go from my side, I will always watch over you and love you above all others. Whatever happens, I will always be at your side, helping you achieve your goals. Never forget that and never forget me, my love.' Charles uttered, pulling his gaze away from the stars to look at Renzo in his lap.  
'I could never forget you, Charles. I could never forget or forsake your love. You are my world, only ask it of me and I would abandon everything but you. I love you, only you. But you must remember that it goes both ways. I will never love another as I love you. Wherever you are, whatever you turn your hands to, I will be with you in through and spirit if not in body.' Lorenzo replied, burrowing closer to Charles as a chill evening wind blew past them.

Eyes closing, Lorenzo relaxed into Charles' strength and sighed, perfectly content to let the world pass them by as they shared this beautiful night. The stars were bright overhead and the moon full, a few wispy clouds drifting up high in the night sky. A faint breeze stirred the grass and the leaves as an owl called for its mate and one of the horses neighed faintly in the distance. Up here, perched on the cliff top, they couldn't see the lights of the village below or even the house on the hill. It was as if they were the only people in the world.

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Bolting awake when someone touched his shoulder, Lorenzo sat up and whirled around, breath heavy in his throat as he looked up at Shaun Hastings, one of the newest arrivals and obviously someone dear to Emilia. As far as Lorenzo was concerned, he wasn't much of an Assassin since Shaun refused to kill or even learn to use a sword just to blend in with the rest of the brotherhood that still called Monteriggioni home.  
'Are you okay, Lorenzo?' Shaun asked, leaning on the back of the bench.  
'You wouldn't understand.' Lorenzo sighed, welcoming John onto his lap for a cuddle.  
'I get that you don't much like me, Lorenzo. Can't say I blame you really. I know I can be a right prat, I tend to push people away so I don't get hurt. Never works but I still try it.' Shaun shrugged, gazing out across the gardens. 'But everything that I've seen has given me a greater understanding for the cruelties of the world.'  
'Don't try to understand what I'm dealing with, Shaun. You have your health and a fully able body. You aren't tormented by dreams of the past and a second reality that cannot be real.' Lorenzo spat, setting John down again and gathering up his crutches. 'Do me a favour and fuck off ya crump-backed scab. I don't want to know anything about ya. The sooner ya fuck off outta my hometown the better.'

Whistling for his dogs to follow, Lorenzo returned to the villa and headed straight upstairs, ignoring the questions from his mother about his sudden and angered return. Making is up the stairs, he slipped into the bedroom he shared with Vanni and sprawled out on his bed, tucking his crutches out of the way and lifting the dogs up onto the bed to curl up around him. Hopefully now he would be left in peace to sort out what he was feeling and try to decide how to respond to the aching space in his heart.

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Instantly wary of the stranger approaching the stairs leading up to the family only area, Veronique came down the stairs to confront him, left hand resting on the pommel of the short sword she wore at all times. He was an absolute mess, black hair blowing across his face, at least a week's worth of stubble on his chin and his clothes were stained with mud and what looked suspiciously like blood. His boots were just about ready to fall apart, the worn leather bound into place with shot lengths of rope. The two old fashioned pistols in his belt looked filthy, crusted in mud and dirt and the sword hilt looked even worse.

Stopping at the base of the stairs, he looked up at Veronique, confusion and fear in his pale blue eyes. He was exhausted, swaying on his feet as he stood there but he made no move to climb further. He just stared at Veronique, waiting for her decision.  
'State your business, stranger.' Veronique requested, partially drawing her sword as she moved closer to him.  
'I…I do not know.' he uttered, dropping his gaze and hunching up as if to protect himself from a whip or other such punishment. 'I…felt drawn here…I do not know why.'  
'Where did you come from?' Veronique asked, letting her sword slip back into the scabbard as she stepped closer to this strange man.  
'I…cannot remember…I woke…on the grassy hills…west of here…I think.' he replied, his voice rough and low, as though he had not spoken to anyone for many months. 'Somehow…I knew to… come here…for help.'  
'Can you at least tell me your name?' Veronique coaxed, trying to work out what to do about this situation without resorting to calling for Mario or Emilia.  
'I…my name…I do not know.' he whispered, lifting his gaze slowly as he spoke. 'I cannot…'  
'It will come to you. Come with me, I know someone who might be able to help you.' Veronique soothed, offering out her hand. 'I will let no harm befall you.'

Smiling softly when the stranger reached out and clasped her hand lightly in his own, Veronique kept a watch for any of the Auditore as she guided him out the southern gate and down the slopes towards the farmland that surrounded Monteriggioni. He asked no questions of her, he just held onto her hand and followed her along the winding tracks towards a simple little farmhouse at the bottom of the hill.

Keeping the stranger tucked in close to her side, Veronique called out a greeting to the older couple that owned and managed this particular farm. Teresa and Jacob had moved to Italy after the Battle at Abu Simbel, abandoning their home in London to live in the countryside again. Maria had given them a nice little plot of land and they now provided all the fresh fruit and vegetables that the villa and palazzo needed.  
'Veronique, so good to see you.' Teresa smiled, wiping her hands on her apron as she emerged from the house. 'And who is this with you?'  
'Ah, Veronique, it has been some time since you last came to see us.' Jacob beamed, coming over from their small stable. 'And you bring company as well.'  
'Teresa, Jacob, I need your help. This man just arrived in the city, looking exactly as he does now. He has no memory of where he came from, how he got here or even his name. I do not wish to bother Lord and Lady Auditore with this until I can at least tell them his name so I thought in the meantime he could help you with your farm.' Veronique explained, bringing the stranger up beside her. 'You will be safe here, friend. These are good, hard working people. But we will need to think of something to call you.'  
'Lee…I remember…being called…Lee.' he offered, shivering as he stood there.  
'Bene, we will call you Lee then.' Jacob nodded, glancing at his wife.  
'Come inside Lee and we will find you some better clothes to wear. We have a spare room you can use and I will make you something to eat before you start with the chores.' Teresa added, extending one hand in friendship. 'I'm sure you would like a chance to wash up too.'  
'You are too kind, milady.' Lee replied, bowing his head respectfully as he took her hand.  
'There's no need for that, Lee. I am no fine lady, my name is fine.' Teresa chuckled, thumb stroking over his knuckles lightly. 'Come along, there is plenty to be done.'  
'Take care of him, Teresa.' Veronique added, smiling softly as Lee was whisked inside by Teresa. 'I see that your crops are thriving this year, Jacob.'

Chuckling softly, Jacob offered his arm to Veronique and escorted her to admire their thriving crops, always pleased to be able to show off his hard work to those who provided so much for his family and always made sure the community beyond the walls needed for nothing.  
'You will take good care of Lee, won't you Jacob?' Veronique asked, still concerned for the strange man she had welcomed to stay.  
'Of course we will, Veronique. The work here is hard but he seems a strong sort, especially once he's had a decent feed and a chance to rest. We will not push him too hard but he will be expected to pull his weight and do his fair share of his work.' Jacob replied, looking back over his shoulder towards his humble home.  
'I have a feeling you will not have to worry about that, Jacob. Something tells me you will have the opposite problem, he'll keep working until you call him to rest. He seems eager to please and willing to earn his keep.' Veronique chuckled, enjoying the peaceful stroll among the crops.


	16. Epilogue

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Epilogue  
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Flaring the repositioned cuff of his dark grey breeches over the top of his solid oaken peg, Lorenzo tucked the soft cloth in and smoothed it out; making sure it looked as neat as the rest of his uniform. Blake had kept to his word, creating him a solid leg that felt secure and steady under Lorenzo's weight, a wide panel serving as a foot and preventing him from falling through the grated hatches on the deck. For the most it was plain and undecorated but at the top, where few would see it, Blake had carved an eagle into the timber, shaping it to match the figurehead of the majestic Aquila.

Spreading his feet to account for the slight motions of the Aquila as she caught a faint wind, Lorenzo stood and slipped into the crisp new waistcoat he'd found waiting for him. His blue Captain's uniform was still there in his chest but he had also found this second uniform that leant more towards purple and decided that since he was sailing this voyage alone, he had no reason to wear the matched blues.

Smoothing out the waistcoat, he glanced over to where Charles was standing, his full acceptance by the crew clear to see now. He'd put his usual brown coat away in his chest and proudly wore the purple jacket the crew had arranged for him. Lorenzo honestly thought the colour looked particularly good on Charles, the blue piping along the seams and collar just perfect to highlight his unusual eye colour.

Shouldering into his long jacket and doing it up to pull the heavy cloth tight across his powerful shoulders and broad chest, Lorenzo settled his sword belt across his chest and holstered his pistols, feeling his old confidence coming back as he grabbed his hat from its hook and tossed the second purple tricorne to Charles.  
'There's no denying it now, Charles. You're in with the crew.' Lorenzo grinned, quickly checking that all of their belongings were secured for the voyage.  
'And what makes you say that?' Charles asked, retying his hair quickly and slipping his hat on.  
'Who else did you think would organise at least a partial uniform for you.' Lorenzo smirked, opening the door and stepping out into the sunshine.  
'Point taken.' Charles laughed, shaking his head in wonder as he followed Lorenzo.  
'Haul in the mainsail! Get up the rigging! Hand over fist! Come on, men! Let's get her out where she needs to be!' Lorenzo barked, sending the crew scrambling to follow his orders and really get the Aquila moving.

Refusing to give the crew any reason to think he wasn't up to the task, Lorenzo bounded up the stairs to take the wheel, feeling the charge race up his back as he curled his calloused hands around her smoothed timber. It didn't matter that he hadn't yet figured out how to climb the rigging without looking a fool; he could still stand tall at the wheel and command the crew with ease and efficiency. With Robert at his left and Charles on his right, Lorenzo knew that he could handle anything that the Aquila faced on this journey.

Eyes on the horizon, Lorenzo had little trouble retracing the familiar path to Martha's Vineyard and the open ocean beyond. He still didn't know quite where he wanted to go, he just felt the need to take the Aquila somewhere and get away from the homestead for a while. Heading down to the Caribbean certainly seemed tempting, the men always enjoyed going there but Lorenzo's sense of adventure was calling him elsewhere.  
'So where are we heading, cap'n?' Faulkner asked, propping his hip against the railing and turning to regard Lorenzo properly.  
'Anywhere but here, Mr Faulkner, anywhere but here.' Lorenzo sighed, slipping past another rocky outcropping of rocks and continuing towards the Vineyard.  
'I knew it was a good idea to pack plenty of teaching materials for the crew.' Charles muttered, hopeful Lyle and Timothy could continue the classes without him.  
'How can you be sure we packed enough supplies, cap'n?' Faulkner pushed, worried that Lorenzo had lost his mind to set sail without a plan and a map to guide them.  
'It's not like we're sailing to England, Mr Faulkner. Wherever we go, we will surely be close enough to resupply at any number of ports.' Lorenzo shrugged, adjusting his course to avoid a ship coming towards them.  
'Did you perhaps mention this to your brothers? You know they will…' Charles started but a harsh look from Lorenzo silenced him.  
'I told my brothers nothing except that I would be taking the Aquila out for a little while. If you two are not comfortable with me making the decisions, you can piss off once we reach Martha's Vineyard and find your own way back to the homestead. I am sick and tired of being questioned and held back because I'm a cripple. So we're going out there to prove to all the doubters that the loss of a leg has not made me any less of a Captain.' Lorenzo snapped, glaring at the older men beside him. 'Give me full sail!'  
'Skipper, we've been hearing rumours of some major pirate activity down around the Caribbean. We could really make a mess down there and bring back some great loot to show your brothers how skilled ya are.' Richard suggested, looking up from where he was keeping watch.  
'How reliable are these rumours, Richard?' Lorenzo asked, navigating around another rocky outcropping and spotting the cottages of the Vineyard.  
'Miss Mandy sends word with the crews that are coming our way, the latest news came in a few days ago but all the crews have been saying the same thing. We're talking about a major boost in pirate numbers.' Richard shrugged, turning his gaze back to the seas. 'Best bet is making a stop at the Vineyard to see what's being said.'

Nodding slowly, Lorenzo turned his gaze to Charles for a moment before bringing the Aquila around to prepare to dock at Martha's Vineyard. But there was something that needed to be dealt with before he docked and went to Amanda for the latest information coming up form the Caribbean. He didn't like having to do this, but he knew he had to stand up and make it clear that he was in command and would not be challenged.  
'Mr Faulkner, you have been on the seas long enough to know the accepted punishment for publicly arguing with the Captain, am I correct?' Lorenzo challenged, raising his voice enough so most of the crew heard him speak.  
'Aye, Sir. Most ships I have served onboard considered ten lashes against bared flesh appropriate, double for senior crewmembers.' Robert replied, shock in his eyes as he crouched and set Sass on the deck. 'Go Sass, to your bed.'  
'Do you agree that you challenged my authority in front of the crew?' Lorenzo asked, signalling for a full stop and to drop the anchor without looking away from Robert.  
'Aye, Sir. I should not have called you out about our voyage and destination.' Robert nodded, fully aware that he'd made a mistake and would have to pay the price.  
'Do we have a witness to this admission?' Lorenzo called, signalling for Charles to hold his tongue for the moment.  
'Aye Captain. I, David Clutterbuck, witness this admission of guilt from First Mate Robert Faulkner.' David nodded, voice ringing out over the silent ship. 'I heard him directly challenge your authority where any crewman could hear him.'  
'Robert Faulkner, you have been found guilty of challenging the authority of the Captain publicly. Your punishment will be twenty lashes against bared skin.' Lorenzo declared, hating to do this but he would not be coddled like Connor. 'Charles, fetch the cat and leather bit from my quarters. Richard and David; fetch the ropes and gather the crew.'  
'Aye Captain.' Charles replied, a little pale in the face at what he had been dragged into but he was unwilling to risk Lorenzo's anger.  
'Let's get this over with, Robert.' David sighed, grabbing his arm firmly. 'Never thought I'd be seeing this again.'  
'Don't remind me, David.' Robert groaned, keeping his head up as he was escorted to the mainmast for his punishment. 'Here's hoping this time goes better than the last.'  
'Richard and I will make sure of it.' David uttered, releasing Robert and stepping back as he started to strip off in readiness.

Coming down the stairs, Lorenzo accepted the heavy cat o' nine Charles was holding and sighed as he watched Richard firmly bind Robert to the mainmast as David continued to chase the crew up into the rigging or anywhere else that they would find a vantage point to witness this punishment.  
'One of the worst duties any Captain has to deal with. Morale is important on any ship but it feels so distasteful to flog a man simply for thinking. He had every right to question what I planned, it's only the fact he didn't request to take it into my cabin that gets him this.' Lorenzo explained, warming the leather in his hands.  
'Surely the crew know this. Why continue with this if everyone knows these things?' Charles asked, still so unfamiliar with shipboard life.  
'Because if one incident like this slips past, others will try. If I don't do this now, talk of mutiny could start and then we're in for real trouble. Best to get this over with while we're in a safe harbour so no one starts to think they can get one over this Captain.' Lorenzo replied, handing the prepared whip back to Charles. 'Much as I don't like it, you're going to have to be my second for this.'  
'What? I will not flog a man for questioning you.' Charles hissed, glancing over to Robert again.  
'No, that's on my shoulders. Just follow me, hold onto what I hand you and pass the whip when I signal for it.' Lorenzo corrected, spotting the signal from Richard. 'Come on; let's get this over with so we can set sail again.'

Relieved that Richard had made sure to run the ropes through his hands to give him something to really dig his fingers into, Robert tried to keep his breathing calm as he listened to the crew gathering and then heard the mismatched steps of Lorenzo. He had no doubt the young Captain was counting the scars already scattered across his broad back, a lifetime on the sea had left many marks on his flesh.  
'Are you ready, Robert?' Lorenzo asked, approaching and offering out the leather bit, the outermost layer well marked by previous men who had used it.  
'I am, Captain. I did wrong and stand ready to face my punishment.' Robert replied, tipping his head back and biting down hard on the leather bit.  
'I'm sorry it had to come to this.' Lorenzo whispered, leaning in close as if testing the knots. 'I wish it had been anyone else.'

Withdrawing again, Lorenzo removed his hat, jacket and sword belt, handing them to Charles for safe keeping and accepting the whip in return. Stretching out his shoulders, Lorenzo turned to face Robert again and nodded to Richard, sending him around to keep a close eye on Robert's condition. Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, Lorenzo set his feet and checked his range, listening to the mutterings of the crew and one voice in particular complaining that they'd expected a proper thrashing. Offering up a prayer for forgiveness, he stepped a little closer and let fly, cringing inside at the sound of the heavy knotted strands landing on Robert's back. The pained little sound he heard from Robert only made him feel worse but this needed to be done to ensure his command.

Keeping his distance to avoid being splattered with anything, Charles felt sick to the pit of his stomach as Lorenzo lashed out and carved a fresh set of lines across Robert's back, high on the right side. Though he had witnessed men flogged before and even participated in a few floggings when necessary, Charles lacked the stomach to ever really believe in the practise. He could tell Lorenzo took no joy in this sort of thing either; he was only doing it to reinforce his position as Captain, despite his injuries.

Trying his hardest not to cause too much pain or tear too deep in too many places, Lorenzo kept changing his angle for each hit, spreading out the fire from the heavy cat in his hand. David had moved to lean against the mast, counting off the lashes as Richard spoke quietly to Robert, signalling that he was still okay and able to take the punishment. Twisting his wrist again, Lorenzo reversed the direction of the strikes and raked up Robert's back, droplets of blood starting to decorate the deck between them.

Sagging in his bonds a little, Robert offered little resistance as Richard tugged on the bit, giving him a chance to catch his breath and gulp down a couple of mouthfuls of fresh water. He had to get through this and make sure the crew had no reason to doubt Lorenzo's position and competency. He couldn't allow the rumours to grow beyond the whispers he had already heard.  
'You okay, Robert?' David asked, checking his hands for serious rope burn.  
'Aye, I've taken worse.' Robert nodded, grateful for the chill water Richard dumped over his head.  
'Half way there, time to play it up.' David muttered, twisting another length of rope into Robert's hands. 'Let's make sure these lads never doubt cap'n Renzo again.'  
'You two make sure he doesn't try anything to ease his guilt over this.' Robert hissed; draining the bottle Richard was holding up for him. 'It's got to be done right or the men will never buy it.'  
'We'll handle it; you just make this look good.' Richard nodded, holding the bit out again. 'He's good to continue, Sir.'

Listening to the ever increasing cries of pain and watching the way Robert started trying to avoid the cat; Lorenzo took a few moments longer between each hit, trying to line up on areas with the least damage. It didn't appear to help, Robert was straining against the grip Richard had on him, fighting to avoid these last nine blows. Receiving a reassuring nod from David, Lorenzo lashed out again and forced back the vomitus rising in his throat.

Three to go, just three more and he could rest and regain his dignity. Just three…the bit did little to hide the next cry that Robert let slip, struggling against David's grip on his right forearm as he tried to pull away and maybe slide around behind the mast. He'd seen other men try it, even done it himself on one previous occasion. Lorenzo certainly knew how to make it hard for a man to face a flogging, each blow landed on a clear patch of skin, setting his back aflame in ways he'd never felt before. There was just no escaping his aim.

Already planning ways to apologise for all of this, Lorenzo wiped his sweaty hand on his breeches and switched the cat back into his right hand, drawing out the anticipation of the last strike. Turning into the last strike, powering it with all of his strength, he went straight down Robert's back, splattering the deck with more blood and little flecks of skin.  
'Clean this mess up.' he spat, tossing the whip aside and turning on his heel. 'Richard, pick someone and go see what Amanda has to say. No stopping for a drink either, I want you back here as soon as you have the information.'  
'Aye Sir.' Richard nodded, supporting Robert as David worked on the knots. 'Jamie, you come along. It's time you learned about Miss Mandy.'  
'I'll ready the boat.' Jamie nodded, looking a little green as he turned away from the bloody mess on the deck.  
'Easy now, I've got you Robert.' David uttered, getting the last knot untied and coming around to help support Robert without touching his bloodied back. 'Come on, let's get you lying down.'  
'Aye, cap'n really knows how to wield that cat.' Robert nodded, hissing with every movement. 'If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's done that before.'  
'Lee, you get started scrubbing away the mess. C'mon Doc, plenty for you to do below decks.' David instructed, doing his best to support Robert without touching his fresh lash marks too much.

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'Why, Robert? You have never given me cause to doubt you before, so why now? You've always been a strong presence beside us, guiding us to find our sea legs and helping us to understand the nature of the sea. Why threaten our friendship with such a public display of disrespect?' Lorenzo asked, settling on the stool beside Faulkner's bed.  
'To secure your position, Sir.' Robert replied, shifting to look at the young man beside him. 'I heard the whispers among the crew, they doubted your competency to sail without your brothers to share the burden. The fact you've got that peg only made things worse, a few of the lads thought it was a joke for a cripple to captain the Aquila.'  
'So you thought that you'd push me into showing that I won't stand for anyone stepping out of line? You had no way to be certain I would bite on your challenge.' Lorenzo sighed, leaning back against the hull behind him.  
'If you didn't bite on that one, I had plans to push you harder. David and Richard are in on it too, they bashed a few heads together before you appeared on the dock yesterday.' Robert shrugged, hissing as one of his new marks twinged.  
'Why didn't you just out and tell me about this?' Lorenzo questioned, getting up and gently tugging the blankets back. 'I hate that I did this, you're a dear friend Robert.'  
'Aye, and the lads know that we've got a strong friendship. That's why it had to be me to push first. Now that they all know you're willing to lash out at me for any rule breaking, they'll be sure to tread careful.' Robert nodded, trying to stay still as Lorenzo examined the damage done. 'You got nothing to feel guilty about, Sir. It's my fault, you were just doing what you're meant to do.'  
'That doesn't make me feel any better, Robert. I flogged you bloody, there's no excusing that.' Lorenzo replied, gently easing the blankets over Robert's back again. 'I feel sick that I could cause such harm to a close friend.'  
'Lad, come back here where I can see you.' Robert requested, wisely not trying to turn and find the younger man. 'Even this old Assassin doesn't like having people in his blind spot.'

Apologising softly, Lorenzo finished adjusting the blankets and returned to the stool, leaning back against the wall and trying hard not to think about what he'd done. Every time he closed he eyes, he saw it again, playing over and over in his mind. Lorenzo honestly doubted he would ever forget the pained sounds he had caused or the sight of blood and flesh splattered across the deck.  
'Lorenzo, are you listening to me, lad?' Robert asked, reaching out to squeeze his arm lightly.  
'Aye, I'm listening.' Lorenzo nodded, still tense but he was relaxing a little now that Robert was using his name.  
'You have no reason to feel any guilt, lad. I put you into this position, I pushed you to reinforce your position and make sure the crew understood that you are not a cripple. This is my fault and my fault alone. You are not to blame for my pain.' Robert stated, making it perfectly clear that he didn't want Lorenzo to bear the guilt of his flogging. 'Say it, lad, say you're not to blame.'  
'No, I won't say it. You might be able to justify what happened up there but I cannot.' Lorenzo scowled, getting up and stalking across the small cabin.

Slouching in the corner, as far away from Robert as he could get without leaving the small cabin he had as his own, Lorenzo crossed his arms and dropped his chin, taking on a defiant teenager's stance as he mentally prepared to open Robert's eyes to just what he'd done with this stupid idea.   
'Achilles was a grump, a Master to teach us and a tight arse with praise or even encouragement. He would have preferred to go on mourning his lost wife and son, watching the homestead fall down around his ears.' Lorenzo sighed, shaking his head slowly as he stared at the floor.  
'Where's this going, lad?' Robert asked, managing to hold back a wince as he rolled onto his side and partly sat up.  
'But not you. No, you were the one who actually gave a damn. You were there with open arms when I needed someone to explain things to me as I grew into manhood. You were the one who took me for my first drink, my first whore, and supported me through my first hangover. You were there to explain the changes I was going through, you silenced the laughter when my voice cracked in front of the crew and you talked me through so many humiliating situations.' Lorenzo continued, ignoring Robert's question completely now that he was on a roll.  
'Aye, we have had some interesting conversations over the years.' Robert agreed, still not sure what Lorenzo was leading up to here.  
'Of all the men I have met and known in my life, you are the one that I came to see as a father figure. You've been there every time I needed someone to listen, to guide, to support and to advise. It's always been you, I didn't need anyone else to guide me through life because I had your voice in my ear.' Lorenzo choked, scrubbing at his cheeks as he put the truth out in front of Robert.  
'Lorenzo…' Robert uttered, sitting up properly as he watched the young man struggle with his emotions. 'Why didn't you ever say anything, lad?'  
'I used to hope that one day my parents would find me again. Then I met you and I hoped that maybe one day I'd get the same treatment from you that I saw you giving some of the youngest members of the crew.' Lorenzo uttered, sinking to the deck slowly. 'But I was always just an officer to you, never good enough to be considered anything more. Today proved that more than ever, I am nothing more than an officer to you.'

Ignoring the pain from his back, Robert forced his battered body up and crossed the room, sinking to his knees in front of Lorenzo. The young man was openly weeping, biting his lip to silence his grief as he huddled there in the dim light of the moon through the one small window in Robert's cabin. It hurt to see him so low and Robert did the only thing he could think of to try and ease Lorenzo's anguish. He reached out and tugged him close, wrapping Lorenzo up in a secure hug.  
'I just wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere.' Lorenzo managed, offering no resistance as he was pulled into Robert's chest. 'Names are powerful things, you know?'  
'Aye, I know how powerful names can be. When unfamiliar Captains meet in a neutral port, they only ever give their family names. It takes years for trust to build enough for first names to be traded.' Robert nodded, realisation hitting him like a cannonball. 'But you…I've been a blind old fool, haven't I?'  
'All I want is to belong somewhere, to have roots to call my own.' Lorenzo whispered, pressing closer and shivering faintly.  
'Why you would want to share mine, I don't know.' Robert sighed, trying to lighten the mood a little but he doubted it worked. 'Lorenzo Faulkner…it's got a certain ring to it I suppose.'

Relaxing his grip a little when he felt Lorenzo tense up, Robert braced for a blow but it never came, instead he was faced with Lorenzo's hard eyes, an angry tilt to his mouth. The late realisation and offer of a shared name clearly hadn't been the right thing to say right now.  
'Oh, now I feel so much better. Shout it from the foredeck, I beat my surrogate father bloody.' Lorenzo scoffed, shoving Robert back but it was clear he still held some care for the older sailor since he didn't shove Robert onto his back.  
'What do you want from me, lad?' Robert asked, feeling something tear beneath the bandages wrapped around him. 'I already said it was my fault what happened earlier, I never would have done it if I knew any of this.'  
'I don't want your name, Charles gave me his and we got a blessing from Father Timothy for our relationship. I want someone on this ship to realise I'm young, I've lived with no parental figure for most of my life and honestly, I just want someone to see me worthy of being their…'  
'Son.' Robert finished, knocking the wind right out of Lorenzo's new rant. 'You just want a little fatherly affection, is that it?'  
'Finally, you get it. Drop the officer shit and just let me feel as if I have someone who cares as a father should. Charles cares but it's a different love.' Lorenzo sighed, sagging back against the wall.  
'Aye, now I get it.' Robert nodded, offering out his hand. 'Now how about you help me up, son.'

Smiling weakly, Lorenzo pushed to his feet and clasped Robert's hand firmly, helping the older man up and back into bed. His emotions were still all over the place, he was still angry and upset but at least he no longer felt completely ignored. With time, Lorenzo hoped to get through the rest of the pain in his heart from the lashing he'd given Robert and see a bright new future with a sort of family around him.  
'Feel better now, son?' Robert asked, accepting the fussing without complaint this time.  
'A little. I still hate what I did, I doubt that feeling will fade for a while.' Lorenzo nodded, leaving a little extra play in the blankets to avoid any undue pressure against the fresh wounds.  
'Tomorrow will be better, you'll see. We'll get on like nothing happened and everything will look better.' Robert grinned, catching Lorenzo's wrist and pulling him over to sit on the corner of the makeshift bed. 'Don't even think of arguing, the men will only start to think you're soft if I'm not back out there tomorrow.'  
'I know, just promise me you'll take it easy tomorrow.' Lorenzo sighed, shifting to instead kneel beside the bed to get them on the same level.  
'I'll be where I always am, right there at your side.' Robert promised, resting his hand over Lorenzo's lightly. 'Now, I suggest you go find that man of yours before he gets the wrong idea.'  
'Charles isn't like that, he knows I'll never step out on him.' Lorenzo chuckled, daring to lean in and brush an innocent kiss across Robert's forehead. 'Rest well papa.'  
'You too, my boy.' Robert replied, returning the kiss and tugging the blankets up a little more.

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Somehow knowing that his latest dream would be the last one, Lorenzo said nothing of it to Vanni or anyone else, treasuring the acceptance he had found in Robert at long last. The fact he'd actually flogged such a dear friend weighed on his mind but there was little that could be done about that incident now. He just had to live with the memory of beating a precious friend and father figure until the blood ran freely down his back.

Forcing those depressing thoughts down hard, Lorenzo instead tried to focus on the equally depressing and shocking information that was coming in from contacts all over the world. Word was going around that the Battle at Abu Simbel had resulted in an unexpected side effect. No one quite knew what to do about the ex-Templars starting to gather in uninhabited areas, abandoning everything that the Assassins had given to help these people rebuild their shattered lives.

For now, the Templars were slowly being rounded up and settled in camps close to Assassin strongholds, just in case there was trouble or the ordinary people tried anything against these lost souls. A few of these camps reported improvement in some of the Templars simply by being near Assassins, though exactly what that meant no one knew for sure. All they could do was try to keep these people safe, comfortable and secure until a better plan could be implemented at all camps.

One such camp had been set up a few hours ride from Monteriggioni, large enough to house several hundred of these ex-Templars in reasonable comfort and total safety. At first Mario had been wary of housing so many potential risks so close to two important Assassin strongholds but there had been many reassurances that there would be minimal risk to the Auditore powerbase from the people housed at the camp.

Listening to the words being bandied about by the arrogant folk that had come to tell them that the camp was already up and running and would not be moved, Vanni and Renzo both stood and made it abundantly clear that if the Auditore did not want one of these camps near their lands, they could easily ensure the Global Council moved it to a more suitable location. In Toscana the Auditore held power and that's the way it was going to be. The arrogant outsiders had scoffed and told the children to sit down and be silent but Lorenzo was on a roll, rising up to take his place in the family hierarchy with a power that made Mario so proud of him.

Drawing on lessons learned in the dreams and the things he'd picked up from his father, Lorenzo stood tall and spoke down to the three men and two women that had come into their city and tried to dictate new laws. With just his words and posture, he made them look and feel like they were just a few inches tall, cowed before his strength and power. Shoulder-to-shoulder with his brother, Giovanni lived up to the family name too, making it perfectly clear that if there was any misbehaviour regarding this camp idea, he would personally tend to it and it was doubtful if the Global Council would like how he handled the matter.  
Mario and Emily just sat back and watched their twins deal with the situation, amazed by how easily they could command respect and put these five older Assassins in their places. With the twins working so close together, it would not take long for them to secure control of the region when the time came. Today wiped away any remaining doubts that Vanni and Renzo could control Monteriggioni and all her surrounding lands, they would never stand for interlopers trying to push into their family home.

Their bit said, the twins returned to their seats and waited, visually daring the five visitors to speak up against their power and prestige. There was no need, the quintet were quiet and subdued, unwilling to risk another disagreement with the two young Lords of the city. They simply gathered up their paperwork and fled, offering brief apologies as they hustled out of the room. Praising the antics of his sons, Mario allowed the pair to go and play for a while, stating that they could get back to the serious business of learning to rule the city after lunch.

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End file.
